A Hallow Heart
by Mackinaw Weasel
Summary: VALDUGGERY: Skulduggery regrets the many things he's done to Valkyrie over the years, but falling for her has now topped his list. War, love, and death follows them whatever they do...
1. XBOX

**VALDUGGERY!**

**Just wanted to try something different - to take a break from my main, more serious stories ;D So this one will be short, cute, and prolly 3-4 chappies in length(already all completed too, hehe). **

**Read on...**

* * *

Skulduggery watched Valkyrie with hollowed eyes, tracking her across the ever so unstable floorboards of his modest abode. She was setting up something technological, an Xbox console, a play-thing that the mortals had been absolutely obsessed with these last few decades. And by the looks it required a lot of unnecessary wires, plugs, _and_ power. Skulduggery was, for the first time in probably a century, paying bills to accommodate the fact Valkyrie was a _very _permanent fixture in his daily life.

As he watched her totter about he remembered when she was a twelve year old runt of a child who stumbled into a world of horror, danger, death and magic, and just never let go. He had assumed that twelve years would find her in a mental hospital somewhere on an isolated island, brought to raving insanity by the bad choices in life; or worse, just plain dead. But she wasn't. She had persevered far longer than Skulduggery had originally given her credit for. Especially since he had assumed she would walk off within the first month of their unusual meeting on her own free will, horrified by the world around her but all the more safer for knowing.

Valkyrie hadn't.

Valkyrie seemed to be the kind of person who would now die of boredom if there wasn't a crime to be solved, or a bad guy to kick, or a moron to be held at gun point just because she could.

While Skulduggery puzzled her, Valkyrie stood up triumphantly. "And you said I couldn't do it!"

"You miss quote me dear, I said you could."

"You said, _see if you can_, in condescending tones!"

"I had no such doubts. But alas, it gave you the determination to prove me otherwise. Well done."

"One day, Skulduggery, I'm going to take all this sarcasm," she said, motioning with a hand to all of Skulduggery, seated pert on the sofa, watching. "And I'm gonna," she slammed a fist into a palm and ground it inwards. "Like that."

"Like that?"

"Yep. Like that."

"And I'm assuming that's you crushing the sarcasm out from my bones?"

"_Squeezing_. Like a lemon."

Skulduggery shook his head sadly. "What have I created?"

Valkyrie smiled, turning back to the console and booting up the system. Satisfied by her job she carefully stepped over the cables and threw herself sideways into her mentor, passing him a device.

"These are controllers," she grinned.

Skulduggery made a sound of him clicking his tongue. "I know that."

"That's good."

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**Please review wonderful peeps! :D**


	2. COD

Skulduggery watched Valkyrie play Call of Duty from the corner of his vision. She was heavily into the game, her tongue was clenched between her teeth, going slightly blue from her intense concentration. She had gotten into a habit of leaning steeply left or right when she turned her character quickly. When she shot at him she smashed her controller into the side of his arm enthusiastically, screaming that he was, _a __dead man times two_.

Then she complained that he wasn't enjoying it as much as she was.

Which wasn't entirely true. It's just that the main source of his amusement was coming from just watching her.

When Skulduggery finally got the upper hand and killed her she went quiet and sullen. He could even feel her death stares from underneath her dark eyelashes.

He killed her again and she lashed out at him, making to grab his controller, but he dodged out of the way and sniped her from his where his character stood. It was a head shot, instant death.

Skulduggery lifted his knees onto the sofa as Valkyrie pressed against them, laughing as she tried to stop him from killing her when she re-spawned. He failed, and Valkyrie hunted him down and knifed him.

"Gotcha!"

"It's hard to judge everything from this angle," he said, pumping his knees up and down, trying to shake Valkyrie off him.

She just seemed to be enjoying herself all the more.

He let go of his controller and grabbed her by the wrists, lifting his legs and flipping her up over him and onto the floor. She landed with a soft thump of the floorboards, laughing.

"You just aeroplaned me," she gasped, her body shaking from laughter. A tear suddenly streaked down her face. "Oh god, I'm crying," she rubbed her eyes furiously.

She shuffled to the sofa and rested her back against it, tilting her head all the way back to gaze adoringly up at the skeleton who had his skull resting up on one arm.

Skulduggery looked at her. It was the happiest he had seen in her months; her dark eyes had that starry shine to them, and her cheeks were flushed from laughing. Her smile, her dark mischievous smile that never seemed to be more than a smirk, made his empty chest tighten.

He made to lower his head to hers—

His cell phone rang.

* * *

**BD I bet you all hate me now, hehehehehe.**


	3. LEFT

The sound of it cut through him like a hot blade, and he winced as he turned his gaze from Valkyrie, who was already restarting the console and putting on another game, and answered his phone.

"Yes?" He sighed, sitting upright, flicking at some lint which had settled on the cuff of his white shirt.

"Sorry. I know it's late, but there's a problem here at the Sanctuary," came Ghastly's voice, sounding weary and annoyed simultaneously.

Skulduggery watched as Valkyrie perched herself cross-legged in front of the T.V, a sofa cushion underneath her as a new game started up and she typed in the name, _Valkyrie you're so Cool_, giggling inanely to herself. He hadn't seen her so perky in such a long time, and to be called on duty right now ignited that spark of anger inside him which he thought he quelled years ago.

"Is it important?" He asked.

"I wouldn't have called if it wasn't."

"Right, right," Skulduggery muttered. Valkyrie turned around to look at him. There was a frown on her face. "I'll be there soon." He pressed the End Call button and sighed.

"Everything all right?"

"Ghastly and the Sanctuary."

"Oh," she looked crestfallen. "Did you want me to come?"

She asked, even though she already knew the answer. They both did. She was Darquesse, essentially, even though she preferred to go by her taken name.

Controlling Darquesse had come at a sacrifice; the merging of the two people into one unstoppable force had left Skulduggery dealing with someone who was like, and unlike Valkyrie Cain.

It saddened him.

Mostly because it put her out of reach of so many things. Everyone was aware of whom she was and no one dared to approach her anymore. People either feared or hated her. If it hadn't been for Ravel calming the other Sanctuaries, assuring them he had her full loyalty then Valkyrie would have become the most hunted figure alive and nights like these would be but a distant dream.

It had taken so much persuading to get her to sign her loyalty, in blood, entirely to Ravel and to the other Sanctuaries. Skulduggery feared, but understood why she refused initially to do it. She wanted to be trusted on her own merits; she wanted to prove she was the same girl everyone had once known, except no one has seen her the same since. And that was three years ago.

Even now, the Sanctuary has never let its guard down around her, and Skulduggery noticed that there were more Cleavers stationed around the buildings every time they visited. They had no eyes that anyone could see, but he noticed that their visors followed her silently. He wondered if Valkyrie was aware of it – he was sure she was. And it broke his not-quite-real heart to know that she hid her bitterness behind false smiles and sad eyes.

But still, she asked. She at least had hope.

"I promise I won't be long, Valkyrie." It hurt him to stand and reach for his jacket resting neatly over the sofa. He slipped it over his shoulders and buttoned it up, feeling Valkyrie's dark eyes pleading for him to stay.

"Just keep yourself preoccupied, okay?" He warned her lightly. She just stared at him, her face unreadable. "I'll be back soon."

Skulduggery made to approach her but decided against it, and turned on his heels smoothly, leaving.

As he closed the front door he felt the shadows draw closer towards the house and the atmosphere grow cold.

* * *

**I always imagine that if Val becomes Darquesse and ends up "good" that she'd be a pawn in social and political demographs. Like a nuclear weapon. So now Ireland can go, "gimme that, bitch, or I'll release Darquesse on your ass." (Not in those words exactly, haha, but with that arrogant tone). And everyone would have to comply because they don't wanna wake up one morning with Darquesse blowing the bejeezus outta them. **

**Basically, in this story, that's what she signed up to be.**

**:D**


	4. WAR

His heart just wasn't in it.

He was seated in the soft and somewhat comfortable chairs which guarded the oblong table like soldiers, and held his head absent-minded on one arm as he listened to the updates on the war. The front-line in France had been pushed back and they were losing Auvergne to the Western Forces. The French Sanctuary was calling for more support, was demanding that Darquesse join the cause.

Skulduggery listened as the French Grand Mage banged the table, threw his arms across the maps at him, shouted, whispered, and gesticulated like a drunkard in a fairly hypnotising manner.

Skulduggery just watched, silently.

The meeting was running longer than he had hoped, and he found his mind worrying for Valkyrie. She often grew anxious when he left her. She had her reasons for being that way, what with so many people having turned their backs on her already. But, even so, he found himself anticipating her when he returned.

It was a violent greeting, usually. A normal person probably wouldn't enjoy fighting and being tackled to the ground. He did. He knew the harder she fought, the harder she missed him. And she'd try to pin him down, her eyes dark with anger for being left so long, but too happy to see him to stay mad.

He imagined him overpowering her, pinning her lithe body down. If his grin could grow wider, it would. And he'd say something witty, or insulting, depending on the moment. Valkyrie would say something back, probably mean, but he knew she never meant it.

And he would tell her he –

"_Skulduggery!_" Ghastly shouted, throwing a punch to his head that he narrowly avoided. Ghastly chuckled. "You're so lucky, you know. Having the whole skull thing. You can fall asleep without anyone suspecting otherwise."

Skulduggery shook his head slightly and straightened his hat, chasing the imagery in his mind away as he looked around the room. The thirty odd people around the table had left. "Well, I could always shoot you and bring you back as a skeleton, if you're so keen."

Ghastly narrowed his eyes at him. "You sound edgy."

"I'm three hours late and I have a World Destroyer at home who's going to probably make me suffer for it."

The Elder tilted his head. "Skulduggery, if I didn't know you better _that_ sounded like you look _forward_ to it."

The two stared at each other. Skulduggery turned on his heel and made to leave, but Ghastly lunged across the table and grabbed the base of his suit.

"Ah, ah!"

With a sigh he turned back. "Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Well, you are the one holding the back of my jacket hostage, so…?"

"Oh," Ghastly let go. "It's…well, it's kind of a personal question."

"I'm a skeleton, Ghastly, there is nothing _personal_ about me."

"Yeah, okay. It's Valkyrie…and…and you."

Skulduggery paused. "Go on," he said slowly.

Ghastly rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "It's…well, it's kind of apparent, to me at least," he added quickly. "I don't know about anyone else, the whole no facial expressions has the majority of us stomped. I mean, shrugs are pretty obvious, but everything else, well, it's a little vague, don't you think? Maybe you should consi-"

"Your eminence is babbling," Skulduggery interjected calmly.

"Skulduggery, your feelings for Valkyrie. What are they?"

Skulduggery stiffened. Was it obvious he cared for her? "Valkyrie is my student, I take-"

"Yes, I know," exasperated Ghastly with a flap of the hand. "I know _what_ she is. I want to know _what _she is _to you_?"

"Is this important?"

"I don't know, is it?"

"It seems irrelevant."

"To what?"

"To everything."

"I think you're dodging the question."

"I'm more interested in why you've asked the question."

"Because I think you're the only one who can make her happy, Skulduggery. And at the moment you're living this miserable life of regret and doubts. Don't you see that!?"

"I do have that happy-vibe."

Ghastly looked at him straight. "I'm being serious you pretentious bag of bones. You _need _to tell her."

Skulduggery shrugged and tipped his hat. "Seriousness doesn't become you, Elder Bespoke," he chuckled lightly as he left the room.

He opened the Bentley and slid in behind the wheel, inhaling the musky scent of polished leather. The smell had a calming effect on him, and he sat back in the seat for a moment, thinking.

"I have to tell her," he muttered, hating himself as he threw the Bentley into reverse and sped away before his enigmatic self could change his own mind.

* * *

**My 5 year old brother is on the laptop next to me building a torture chamber in Minecraft for zombies...**

**...I am now concerned for his sanity...**

**...And I'll be concerned for yours too if you don't reviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeee eeeeew!**

**(no but seriously, he thinks he's a genius right now :/ brothers)**

**EDIT! -_- i seriously suck at catching my own errors...**


	5. JAGUAR

The cavity in his ribcage convulsed and twisted painfully. If he had a heart, it would be somewhere up his throat, beating fiercely, painfully. Regretfully. Except he didn't have one. He didn't have a lot.

He just had bones, a personality just as brittle and plain, a nice suit, a dashing hat, and a rundown old house next to a cemetery.

He didn't think he was destined for any immaculate greatness, no matter how much he boasted that he was, so he really had almost nothing to offer. He couldn't even provide any kind of warmth from the cold, or his opinion on food or drinks.

Skulduggery tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as he pulled into his street, his head singing thoughts of regret, his make-believe heart heavy.

He loved Valkyrie. Loved her more than whatever his kind of existence was. He hated himself for admitting these feelings. _Hated_ himself that he was damning her again with yet another layer of weirdness to her already insanely abnormal life.

And yet…

A part of him hoped.

A selfish, greedy, evil part of him hoped that Valkyrie, that beautiful young woman filled with a darkness that enticed him always, would feel something back.

It didn't have to be love.

It just had to be something that was more than what they had now.

He loathed himself for wanting that. He felt awful.

The Bentley growled to a stop on the dry, weed infested driveway, and Skulduggery took out the key from the ignition, making a sound of his tongue clicking as he unbuckled himself and opened the door. He stood up, looked around himself wearily, straining his sight against the pitch darkness. He cocked his head to one side, listening.

He heard the softest sound of dry grass being crunched underfoot and dropped to one knee as a giant cat leaped over him, brushing his hat from him head.

The black jaguar landed lightly and turned around, revealing red eyes that shone bright in the darkness, shedding a blood coloured light over the ground. It was Vakyrie. She had taken on her shadow-form. The black jaguar. It was her animal totem for _super_ _angry_.

The shadow beast leaped forward and Skulduggery scrambled out of the way, rolling along the ground before springing to his feet. He spun around as two plate-sized paws collided into his chest and pushed him over, his back slamming into the ground.

Valkyrie growled. Her maw had shadows writhing inside.

"I know I'm late," Skulduggery apologised softly, reaching a hand out towards her, touching her snout. "But in all fairness, it was Ghastly's fault."

The red eyes dimmed and the shadows melted backwards, revealing a human face. Within moments it was Valkyrie pinning him down, her delicate hands gripping his shoulders, a scowl on her pale face that shone weakly in the darkness.

"What did they want?"

"Nothing an elaborate lie and well constructed plan wouldn't get us out of," he replied, grabbing her arms and looking up at her. "Are you angry?"

"I am," she said, and sighed. "I'm tired too."

"How long where you in that form?"

"Hours."

"Where did you go?"

Valkyrie growled. "I didn't hurt anyone, if that's what you mean." She whipped her arms out his grip and sat against his midriff, glowering darkly. A gentle breeze threw her hair gently across her face. She looked wild.

"No. I didn't, I-"

She got to her feet angrily. "You're just like everyone else," she hissed. She turned and ran, diving forward as shadows enveloped her, the jaguar disappearing into the night.

Skulduggery leaned his head back and sighed.

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**Because you guys are so awesome, you get two chapters ;D READ ON!**


	6. LUNAR

The moon had risen high enough to aid him with navigating his way through the dark, a dense flame throwing light only so many metres in front of him. He came to a small clearing where the vegetation thinned and found the young woman laying on her back in the centre. Her arms folded against the back of her head, her dark eyes opened and staring up through the gap in the trees to the night sky.

"I'm not angry anymore," she said softly as he stood over her, peering down. "It's so dumb, isn't it? To get so upset about things – like you being late."

"It's not dumb," he replied; he sat beside her, his hollow eyes illuminated underneath by the fire in his hand.

"Small things trigger this uncontrollable rage," she explained. "Darkness clouds my mind and it's hard to shake off."

Skulduggery lay down on his side and perched his head against his shoulder, extinguishing the flame he reached for her hand and took it softly in his. She accepted the gesture and squeezed his clacking bones gently. The moonlight fell on them like a silver blanket, and Skulduggery felt his breath hesitate as Valkyrie locked her eyes on him.

They were brown; so brown that he could see the colour under the dim, white lunar light. Her delicate brows were slightly raised, studying him.

"You're sad," she said at last. "Why?"

"The war."

"Well, we haven't been called up to fight yet, so I consider us pretty lucky."

Skulduggery was silent. "It was suggested tonight that you fight for the French. Make up for their losses, regain the country."

Valkyrie sat up, alarmed. "Skulduggery, you know I _can't_ fight. I _lose_ it. I go _too_ far. I end up destroying _everything_."

He eased her back down beside him and pulled her close, her face pressed into his collar bone and he could feel her cool breath through his suit. "I know."

"Well, did you tell them?" she murmured.

"I doubt it would have made much difference. The French Grand Mage, he's…well, he's-"

"Completely and utterly bonkers?" Valkyrie offered.

He chuckled. "Quite mad, yes."

"Remember that time I met him?"

"He fainted because you were in a foul mood over Kerry winning the All-Ireland."

She laughed. "Yes. This whole, too powerful to be around people thing sucks, but sometimes," she looked up at him, the corners of her mouth twitching in a sly smile. "Sometimes it's totally worth it."

"He did faint splendidly."

"Spectacularly!"

The self loathing returned with a vengeance as he watched her, her face only centimetres from his own. He could feel her breath on the bone of his face, feel it flow in and around his skull. The gleam in her eyes had reappeared – she was in a pleasant mood. He clenched his jaw, hating himself for being the one to ruin it.

"Valkyrie, I, well," he started darkly, turning away from her, looking out across the clearing, "I have something I want to tell you."

"Sure."

"You may not be amused when you hear it. Or you might be. It's hard to say."

"I will refrain from judging."

"And there is the slight possibility you might hate me."

"I won't hate you," she paused. "Unless you've broken my Xbox. I know I said I've got control over my powers and all that, _but_, I cannot guarantee there will be a tomorrow if I go home and my Xbox is broken."

"No. No, it's not your Xbox." He felt her sag in relief.

"Oh thank god," she sighed. "You really had me panicking there for a second."

"I'm thrilled that _it_ means so much to you."

"You mean more."

Skulduggery brought his head back around and stared at her, surprised. "How do you mean?"

Her eyes had widened in shock at her own words, and even in the dim he could see her neck grow red and feel the heat exude from her body.

"I don't know," she made to shuffle out from his grasp, but he let go of her hand and dragged her back to him by the waist.

"Valyrie Cain?"

She placed her own hand over his at her waist and looked up at him imploringly. "Look at us," she said, softly. "What do _you_ think I mean?"

He leaned over her, holding her lithe body tight against him.

"I never expected this to happen," he said, huskily, "I don't even know how it did. I'm sorry that it's come to this, Valkyrie, but to the very bottom of my being, I've fallen for you." She blinked her dark eyes.

"I have little to offer you, in any form, but I can't help but want to be that bit closer to you."

He felt Valkyrie's hand reach up and cup the side of his face, beneath the bridge of his cheekbone. She didn't speak; she didn't smile, didn't even make a sound as she lifted her head to meet the cool of his teeth and kissed him, ever so gently.

* * *

**:I**

**:B**

**:D**

**8D**

**8D!**

**You know, I've always been weirded out by the whole skeleton/girl pairing. Then I read someone's fanfic and they _loosely_ said, "Hey, if an ancient old vampire that sparkles and can read minds can get with a young, somewhat unremarkable girl (marry, impregnate and then "kill" her), then a skeleton and a teen can get together". (God, I have to re-read my favourites and find where I read that, because it was said SO much better - but you guys get the gist, haha). **

**And I thought to myself, _Well call me the son of a hypocrite, but that makes a whole pot of sense soup_. **

**And that's why I love fantasy fiction.**

**Though I know Landey will never pair them, I absolutely adore their dynamically platonic relationship. And I will secretly hope that Skul will one day grow skin as a result of some random spell being cast his way that has flesh-giving side effects. **

**:D**

**There will be another chapter, btw. :D You guys are great!**


	7. CLAY

Valkyrie had a potent presence; a field existed around her that was dense with magic. It could crush the resolve of any man; weaken even the bravest heroes. Cause the mightiest head to come crashing down to earth. Or simply make people those closest to her had their troubles, Ghastly included, the Elder had once described being in Valkyrie's presence as _going for a long run where you don't stop until you keel over_. Because her magic aggravated those around her too much, she had decided that it would be better for all if she avoided humans as much as possible.

It had no physical effect on Skulduggery, but there were time when he thought he could sense a tingle against his bones when she was overly passionate about something or other.

Such as now.

Where her warm lips were against his ivory bones he could feel the pulsing of her core. Her heart thrummed fast as her magic surged through her body, flowing into him, pressing against his bones, caressing his soul. It was such an unusual sensation.

Valkyrie pulled back, her eyes planted firmly on him as he reached up and stroked the side of her face. He loved her face. It was the same one that used to look to him for guidance all those years ago.

She had stopped aging at nineteen, after the surge and the rise of Darquesse, and had retained most of her child-like features, although her face was harrow, as if it had seen too much trouble in too short a time. And she had. Twelve years with him had taken its toll.

Nevertheless, she was beautiful, and the harrow-like quality only brought an adult seriousness to her otherwise young features.

"Don't feel bad," she warned seriously. "I hate it when you get all regretful and sulk around everywhere."

"I wasn't go-"

She silenced him with a finger to his teeth and a slight frown. "You talk a great deal," she muttered. "Now feel free to carry me to the Bentley, I'm absolutely exhausted."

She had fallen asleep by the time he exited the woods, floating down next to the Bentley. He could feel her breathing deepen and slow, her arms still wrapped around his neck tightly, her head perched over his shoulder.

She was warm against him, firm, even at the slightest movement he could feel her powerful body move beneath her clothes.

With a flick of his hand the door popped open and he placed her into the seat.

One thing about Valkyrie that never ceased to amuse him was the fact she wasn't a graceful sleeper. Maybe all those years being with him on stakeouts had given her the ability to meld across any surface and fall asleep. One particular stakeout had them at a school, waiting at a children's play fort for some bad guy or another – it had been Valkyrie's watch, but she hadn't managed to stay awake, falling asleep in the gap of the monkey-bars.

Skulduggery couldn't even be angry with her when he had to wake her up to commend you on the fabulous job she did on letting the man, that they had waited up all night for, get away. It was the fact she managed to sleep in such an awfully uncomfortable spot that made him laugh, and laugh, and laugh, all the way to the Sanctuary where he told Ghastly and Ravel, who also laughed.

Skulduggery chuckled at the memory, strapping the seat-belt across her. He crossed the Bentley and entered the driver's side, starting the black beauty up with a soft growl.

He carried Valkyrie to her room where a single bed sat, surrounded by various teenage memorabilia. Posters littered the walls in no particular order. Some had been overlapped so much over the years that they couldn't be seen anymore – mostly the embarrassing ones that Valkyrie Cain was now ashamed of admitting having to have liked. Rows of bookshelves made a shell around her room, filled with varying tomes. Some were novels she read for entertainment; others were more for her education.

Her bed was a rat nest of sheets and sat in the centre of the cacophony like a ship wreck in polluted water.

Carefully trying to avoid from treading on anything, Skulduggery placed her gently on her bed and she curled automatically into her nest, drawing the blankets around her like a burrow.

He watched her with a tilted skull, sighed wearily and sidled in behind her. He waited for the shadows in the room to crash into him and send him flying – but they didn't, and he lay down next to her, and she straightened, letting him in with a small smile, her eyes only a fraction open as she watched him lay his head near hers.

Skulduggery ran a hand along the side of her body, along her supple waist, to the joint of her hip bone, to the curve of her thighs and back up to her shoulders. Her magic seemed to radiate from her body with a purring hum. Her dark eyes were on him, she reached a hand out to his chest, pressed it there for a moment, then began to unbutton his suit and the shirt underneath, pulling back the fabric to reveal the steps of his ivory ribs.

She peeled off her shirt and Skulduggery froze as she pressed herself possessively against him, falling into sleep.

He pulled the covers over them and rested his chin against the dark of her hair and allowed his hands to scour every curve and muscle of her body until his hands could shape her from clay just on memory alone.

* * *

**ooooooooooooh! Scandalous! ;P**

**...haha about the story being only so many chapters long...well**

**ILIED**

**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

**-_- I've gone and added more stuff. I'm such a bad person.**

**;D But I'm sure you peeps will forgives me!**

* * *

EDIT: :C Missed a whole blinkin sentence!


	8. KILLER

The morning came too quickly, and the weak graveyard sun struggled through the heavy drapes of the single window in Valkyrie's room. A crack in the hanging fabric sent a sliver of light across the floor, and over the many layers of blankets and sheets, casting a ghostly glow over Valkyrie's bare shoulders.

Skulduggery felt her head stir under his chin.

"There's some light coming in," she murmured into his chest, sleep cracking her voice.

"Yes, but you're facing away from the window."

She chuckled. "I can still feel it on me."

Skulduggery rested the bones of his hands on the pale skin where the light touched. "There, it's gone." He felt her shuffle around and she flicked a hand out behind her. A shadow rose from the ground and brushed the drapes closed, casting the room in a faint gloom.

Valkyrie drew back from him, drawing the covers up under her arms as she did so, resting her head level with his.

"I think I kicked you," she said, sort of apologetically.

"I believe you did."

"I was having a…really weird dream."

"I noticed." Valkyrie raised her eyebrows at him.

"You said something along the lines of, _No, not my Xbox. Kill Skulduggery first_,"he continued.

Her eyes widened sceptically. "Really? Doesn't sound like me very much."

Skulduggery shrugged his bony shoulders. "Well I must have done something spectacular because you started cheering my name."

"That…sounds farfetched."

"But alas dear, it happened."

Skulduggery grinned at her in the dim morning light. He marveled at her being so close to him, her breath on his face, he had no facial expressions of his own but she could always tell what his emotions were. Always knew when he was smiling.

Valkyrie gave him that dark, smouldering smirk she had in place of a smile and shuffled closer to put her forehead against his.

"Mister Pleasant?" she asked.

He looked at those swimming muddy eyes. "Yes, Miss Cain?"

"Can I say it's probably too late to make an honest woman out of me," she closed her eyes and chortled softly.

Skulduggery placed a hand at her waist and leaned in. "I don't believe it's too late."

Valkyrie pulled back from him with a grimace and she poked her tongue at him. She sat up with a spring, grabbing her shirt from the floor and struggling into it. She stood up and looked down at him from the edge of the bed, emotionless.

He watched as she put her fingers to her lips and then pressed them to where his own used to be.

"I'm off to shower." Shadows grew around her and she stepped into them with a half-grin, disappearing.

Skulduggery waited for the last tendrils of shadow to dissipate and leaned back into Valkyrie's pillow, staring at the ceiling where several sigils were engraved into the wood. Anti-theft sigils. Not that Valkyrie or himself kept anything of any remarkable value. Well, she was addicted to gaming now, so maybe there was something of personal value in the house.

His mind wondered to the kiss.

The memory tortured and elated him.

Part of him wanted to get up, tear himself away from her and finally give her a chance to live a normal life. But his logical side kept over riding him. Valkyrie was Darquesse. Just because he used her taken name didn't mean she was anything less than the World Destroyer. So if he did leave her, he left her damned and cursed – there was no way she could fit back in amongst mortals or mages. Few people could stand to be near her, even fewer tolerated her.

Skulduggery started, his phone ringing in his back pocket. He pulled it out and opened it.

"I tried everything," said Ravel sadly, "but the Sanctuaries are _demanding_ that Darquesse take back the French line. There's nothing else that Ghastly or I can say or do, Skulduggery."

He didn't respond.

Ravel carefully continued. "A jet's being chartered. It'll be here in a few hours. She will be debriefed. I'm really, _really_ sorry," and in his voice Skulduggery knew the Grand Mage meant it, but he hung up on him silently anyway.

Valkyrie reappeared over him, her devil black hair dripping with water as he put the phone down at his side, and stretched out his hands towards her. She intertwined her fingers with his and he pulled her cool damp body on top of his ribcage and buried his forehead into the soft of her neck.

"Ravel called," he whispered darkly, his voice empty. "You're being asked to fight."

Skulduggery could feel her body reverberate, but when he pulled back he was shocked to find tears were running slowly down her face. Her hair fell across her forehead, defeated.

"I'm a killer, Skulduggery," she whispered shakily.

He brushed her hair from her pale face. "You're not, Valkyrie."

She flicked his hand away. "I'm _Darquesse_." Her eyes burned into his empty sockets. "You know that, don't you?"

"I do."

* * *

**D: WHAT EVER WILL HAPPEN NEXT!?**

**By the way you guys, have I mentioned you're all awesome sauce? because yous are!**


	9. PUPPET

_"Darquesse. Darquesse is here. What is she doing? I thought she was destroyed. Why do the Sanctuaries allow her to live? Sssh, she'll kill you!"_

Skulduggery tilted his head ever so slightly to the right, where Valkyrie walked, her back perfectly straight, her eyes as solemn as night. Her hair moved softly as she returned his gaze. A door opened at her side and a mage came out carrying some books as Valkyrie swept past. He promptly fainted with a slight swoon, dropping his books on top of himself with heavy thumps.

Valkyrie raised her eyebrows, humoured, as he opened the door at the corridor's end and she stepped smartly, clad in tight black leather, into the Council Room.

Ghastly and Ravel were already seated on their thrones, with the exception of the newly elected third member, a grumpy sallow man from the Supreme Sanctuary, Alfred Swamp. He stayed standing until he was certain that Valkyrie was seated before taking a chair himself. Skulduggery eyed him with cold dislike.

"Darquesse," Swamp said coldly. No nod of greeting, no smile, just a cold, death-damning stare.

Skulduggery groaned inwardly as Valkyrie leaned camp-like into her wooden seat.

"_Al_." She slurred. "Good to see you've put on yet _more _weight. I was thinking, if you could put on anymore bulge you'd end up self-imploding in on your own gravity and kill yourself," she nodded slowly. "But you proved me wrong. Bravo."

Ghastly cleared his throat as Swamp boiled. "Valkyrie, I'm sure you know why we have summoned you here today?"

Skulduggery watched as Valkyrie scanned the room where grey clad Cleavers stood, too many at each post to look inconspicuous.

"These all for me?" She asked bitterly, eyeing Ghastly and Ravel. "Too afraid of being in a small room with me anymore?"

Skulduggery flinched; he could feel hot energy pulsating through his bones. "Valkyrie…" he warned softly.

"Don't," she snapped at him, standing up. "I'm _not_ fighting in _your_ bloody war."

"The Council is _not asking, Darquesse! This is an ORDER!_" Swamp shouted, wobbling furiously.

Static filled the air. One Cleaver collapsed, earning a glance from every occupant in the room except for Valkyrie. Skulduggery slowly rose from his seat. He knew from experience that she had a fight or flight tendency – both tended to be pretty violent. Right now she was beginning to feel cornered. He understood how she felt, he was angry too. But he wasn't suppressing the power to destroy the world inside him. Valkyrie was.

"Valkyrie," started Ravel.

Skulduggery saw the Grand Mage whither under her gaze, the Elder seemed to struggle against her invisible force, and a sweat brought a glisten to his pale forehead.

"Only the people who stood by me, believed in me when I needed them to get to call me by _that_ name. To you I am _Darquesse_. And you will refer to me as such," she hissed.

"_Darquesse_," Ravel quickly remedied, but sadness filled his eyes. He seemed to almost beg her for forgiveness through them.

But she wouldn't ever give it to him. Ever.

"We need you to do this, please. The other Sanctuaries believe it will determine your allegiance and your acceptance in the world."

"You can't control me. My powers are to kill. You send me onto the battlefield and I could just as well destroy _everything_."

Ravel shook his head. "You're the only one strong enough to take back the border, Darquesse."

"I am _not your puppet!_"

Several more Cleavers fainted; the ones that remained standing unsheathed their scythes from their backs and lowered them at her. Skulduggery made to grab her shoulder but he was too slow.

Valkyrie lunged at the closest one, reaching out with her bare hand to grip the top of the blade – it failed to pierce her flesh. With little effort she wrenched the weapon from the Cleaver's hands, spun it around her body once and lopped off its head. Carrying the momentum through she blocked another attack and sent a fist full of electricity into its chest. The Cleaver shot backwards into the wall, jerking horrifically, the smell of cooking flesh filled the air.

Skulduggery ducked under the scythe, and gripped her forearms from behind her.

"_Valkyrie_," he warned tensely. "Valkyrie, you need to control yourself."

He could feel her arms shaking against his grip; hear her heavy breathing coming out in low growls. The room was thick with magic and smelled of ozone. He pushed her arms down and they lowered hesitantly.

"Are you going to drop the scythe?" He asked.

She sighed loudly, like a child unwilling to give you their favourite toy and opened her hands, letting the weapon fall to the ground with a loud clang. She then turned to glare daggers at the remaining Cleavers, who stood back cautiously, weapons at the ready.

Skulduggery let go of her, let his hands run along her forearms and shoulders quickly, before turning to the Elders seated wide-eyed at their immaculate desk.

"Give me Vile's armour. I will go in Valkyrie's place."

He saw her pale face stare at him in disbelief.

* * *

**OH. MY. GAWD. Just finished watching Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and it's amazing. I've watched the movies back to back like a million times, but it never gets old! BD ON A ZOMBIE HIGH, YEA!**

**Milla Jovovich is just...amazah! Noone could play Alice better! **

**And now I'm thinking she'd make a kick-ass older Valkyrie. **

**KICK-ASS I SAY!**

**MacWeasel ZOMBIE HELLER OUT! YEAH!**


	10. JINXED

"This is for the best, Valkyrie," Skulduggery said quietly. He stood against the far wall of an empty and abandoned room hidden deep within the Sanctuary as Valkyrie punched another desk, splitting it in half before grabbing it by the leg, it turned into white ash and poured through her fingers.

She spun around and punched the stonewall, but her hit weakened on impact and she collapsed against it, burrowing her face into the cold stones, wrapping her head up in her arms.

"I don't want to lose you."

He could barely hear her muffled voice, and so uncrossed his arms and strode slowly across the room. He placed his hands around her waist and leaned into her strong back, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"If you fight and lose control of yourself, you will."

She pushed her forehead harder into the masonry. "I can't win, can I? I have all this power, and I'm too frightened to use it."

"You have years to get over your fears," he told her gently.  
"_Hundreds _of years. You shouldn't get yourself so concerned over it."

"Yeah, well, my fears forced you to fight in my place," she grumbled.

Skulduggery shrugged lightly. "It's only to regain some ground in the war, Valkyrie. I've been on worse missions. _We've_ been through worse and made it out okay. Now," he pulled her away from the wall, "Valkyrie, look at me."

She slowly turned around; a dark scowl marred her face as she tilted her head slightly up at him. He clasped his hands around the small of her back and felt her lithe arms return the gesture.

"Valkyrie, know that I dearly love you."

The scowl disappeared, replaced by wildly sad eyes.

"Oh, great. You've jinxed us," she said bitterly, looking away to the broken table. "Now you're going to die."

"I'm not going to die," he replied with a dramatic sigh.

"You are. It's in every romantic novel. The man reveals his undying love and then dies in battle."

"Well my love for you isn't _undying_. I'm already dead. I have, quite literally, already negated the effects of the jinx." He tilted his head. "Aren't I clever?"

"No."

"Really? Not even in the slightest?"

"You slept with the World Destroyer last night. That's not particularly bright."

"Oh, but _I_ didn't _sleep_."

Valkyrie cocked a brow. "I don't whether to whack you upside the skull or giggle like some impish girl."

He chuckled and kissed her, pulling her into him by the sharp of her hips, and let his fingers run the rim of her belt before sliding his thumbs between the fabric and her skin.

He felt her arms reach up around his collar and her lips, her warm, soft, pale lips welcomed him. There came that same vibrating hum and her energy bled into him, it came in waves, following the natural beat of her flowing and ebbing heart. It felt sensational, and it was terribly addicting.

He forced her backwards, until the wall behind her held them both up and he worked his hands up her front, to the top of her jacket which he unzipped and pulled back. She had a white shirt on underneath, one of Ghastly's pieces he noticed with a pang, impervious to virtually everything. Not that she needed it. Her skin was like diamond. Harder even.

The amount of energy now flowing into made him light headed, as Valkyrie knocked his hat from his head.

Something throbbed painfully inside him.

"Skulduggery, the-" Ghastly opened the door and Skulduggery saw his jaw drop with an audible pop from the corner of his eye. He didn't pull away from Valkyrie, but held her pinned against the wall.

"Yes?"

Ghastly blinked and waited awkwardly for them to part, but when it was clear that they weren't he ploughed on, studying the destruction in the room like he would an exquisite piece of art.

"The helicopter's here to take you to the jet, Skulduggery," Ghastly finished. For no logical reason there was a red flame crawling up his neck from beneath the ugly of his robes.

"Ah," Skulduggery sighed, he rested his gaze on Valkyrie who stared at him, her eyes burned bright although she made no expression. He zipped up her jacket slowly and grabbed her hands, pulling her gently off the wall.

"I promise," he whispered, holding her hands under his chin, feeling the cool of her fingers there. "I'll try and stay relatively safe, and will avoid dying a second time around."

She frowned in reply and looked at the ground, letting go of his bony digits. "Okay."

"That's my girl," he flicked his hand at the floor and his hat bounced up and into his hand. He placed the hat on his head smartly and cocked his head at her. "I've got something in the mail that you need to sign for."

A small flicker of a smile passed her lips.

"And you're _not_ allowed to open it," he warned tersely.

"Be safe, Skulduggery."

"I'll try."

She pulled him into a hug, and rubbed her face into the front of his suit, inhaling deeply as if to catch every last scent from him. And just as he made to embrace her back he was grasping shadows that fell through his fingers like icy vapour.

He looked at Ghastly.

The Elder scratched at something on the wall idly, caught the skeleton staring at him, made a face, nodded, then shrugged.

* * *

**Errrgh I had something to say...but I can't remember it. There's just been so much rain here in the Land of Oz and I can't even think straight. Here's hoping the town doesn't flood...again. We get cut off from the rest of the world for days and suddenly all the food runs out, haha. No but really, the town runs out of food and we get air parcels. You would think that after all these years we'd build higher bridges, but no...**

**Plus, I haven't seen the sun in DAYS! D;**

**Yes, I'm complaining...I love rain as much as the next person, but there's just so, SO much. Even our water tanks are over flowing! That rarely happens. Its usually hot and dry.**

**But now, it's just humid and wet -_-**

**So, so wet.**

**:C**


	11. JET

The helicopter ride to the Dublin Airport had been uneventful to say the least. It had mostly consisted of him staring out of the window, absorbing the relative peace of Ireland, or asleep with his hat covering the sockets of his ivory head.

The jet ride was a different story.

Dexter Vex was the man who had been assigned by the sanctuary to guard the armour of Lord Vile, and was also taking the same flight to the front lines behind Auvergne. The adventuring man sat in the seat in front of him, leaning with his chin rested on his folded arms against the headrest, grinning wildly at him.

Skulduggery aimed to ignore him, but the hundred-or-so seated jet only carried the two of them, and he had meticulously scanned the rest of the cabin for any kind of distraction before sighing and turning to his fellow Dead Men.

"I'm not easy to unnerve, Vex, but you're doing a remarkable job at it."

Vex's eyes widened, his grin almost glowed. "Thankyou," he said curtly.

"Might I ask _why_ you're so happy?"

"Oh, just a little something I heard through the grapevine."

Skulduggery tilted his head, if he had eyebrows, he would've raised them. "And that would be?"

"A certain World Destroyer and Sanctuary Detective getting it _on_!" Vex seemed to jiggle in his spot excitedly like a giddish teenage girl, his blue-steel eyes shining. "So scandalous!"

He took his hat off soundlessly and placed it on the seat next to him. "Ah, well, didn't take Ghastly all that long then."

Vex still grinned devilishly. "I've always thought your taste in women was the dark and powerful types."

"Valkyrie isn't dark," Skulduggery corrected.

"Oh, come on Skulduggery," said Vex with a wave of his hand, "Darquesse is _powerful_. And you're drawn to power like a moth to light."

Skulduggery scoffed. "Hardly."

Vex chuckled. "You are."

"I'm not."

"Don't lie."

"Don't accuse."

"It's hardly an accusation if it's the truth!"

"An accusation is an _accusation_."

Vex clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Well, swim in your river of denial then." He pouted and raised his pale eyebrows at the skeleton expectantly.

Skulduggery sighed and out the window, out over the vast blue water of the English Channel. It wouldn't be long before they landed in Paris.

"It's not the power," he muttered, "It's just who she is."

Vex's smile returned. "Aw, you have a heart after all."

Skulduggery shot him a glare and the man laughed. "So, you charmed the most powerful human alive, eh? How do you plan on holding onto her?"

Skulduggery cocked his head to one side and picked up his hat, placing it evenly on the crown of his skull. "I'm a walking, talking, skeleton detective," he lowered the brim of his hat over his eyes and leaned back in his seat, "what's not to like?"

"I could poke several holes in your confidence," Vex admitted, making a face.

Skulduggery grunted. "It's flawless, Vex. I'm sleeping."

He heard his comrade mutter something about him being _mean_ and _not fun_ and then turned around in his seat. Vex begun tapping something heavy and hollow, and Skulduggery knew it was the suitcase which held Lord Vile's armour. He could feel it where he sat, pulling at his hollow core, craving to be worn again, and desiring freedom.

The last time he had worn it was three years ago when he stopped Valkyrie from destroying the world, only minutes after she had passed the surge, coming into her full and explosive powers.

He had used it to try and defeat her. But it had been to no avail. She all but killed him, had torn off his armour; his bones shattered and scattered across the fields in Northern Ireland. It had taken weeks of scouring the mud to find all his pieces and fix him back to his former skeletal glory.

But when Valkyrie was about to deliver the finishing blow something made her stop.

Skulduggery didn't know why she held back.

He had asked her several times, was always curious how she managed to retain her sanity, but every time he asked she would look at him blankly, sort of, _lost_, and always failed to reply.

Skulduggery remembered the world being on edge when they couldn't find her. No one knew where she was or why she left. She had just gone. Disappeared.

After the healing of his bones was over Skulduggery donned his suite and a travelling cloak and went after her. He owed her that. She had once pulled him from hell – he would do the same. And if it killed him, then so be it.

It had taken ten months to track her movements, another month to catch up, then several weeks to locate her. He didn't stop until he had found her, somewhere in the tall mountainous regions of Hokkaido, Japan.

It had been a cold, snowing day and he was taking shelter in a pine forest, his back pressed against the frozen trunk of a tree, when a black wolf walked out from the ice. Its outline moved like a heat haze and its eyes were bright red.

The beast stopped, stared at him, and then came towards him slowly. It was the size of a horse. And heat came from its mouth like a steam train.

Skulduggery was weary of it. He had heard of hell hounds, shadow beasts that devoured the souls of their victims. He pulled his gun out, aimed the barrel of it between those red eyes.

But the shadows flowed away.

Ad _she_ was standing there, looking at him.

"You came?" she said hesitantly. "Why? I…I almost killed you."

"I'm almost certain I would've come back," he had said, "Valkyrie."

She ran to him, crashed into him with a childish embrace. And he hadn't been able to let her go since.

He was broken from hie reverie when the jet wobbled in turbulence, the _seatbelts on_ light flashed overhead. Skulduggery could hear Vex groan.

"I hate this bit," he murmured.

Skulduggery could imagine him gripping the armrests in white-gripped terror. "You'll live," he assured him from under his hat.

"I know that," snapped Vex, clicking his seatbelt on and fell into a tense silence as the jet rocked and bobbed down towards the tarmac.

* * *

**Wow! All you guys' reviews are...are...ARE D'8 SO HEART WARMING! :'D **

**AH FRIGGING LARF YEW AW!**

** Cranium Mischief: Yup, Australia. :C BTW people its STILL RAINING! I'm considering on building an ark. It's come to that point. Haha?**

**So, what have I been doing whilst barricaded in from the floods? Well, internet's been dodgy :/ so no youtube. Dammit. No school. That's mostly under - on and off. Some schools are open. **

**But not mine.**

**BAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Umm...gosh...so droll lately. **

**I'm gunna post another chapter for you all. Because it's rainy. And you guys are super AWESOME.**


	12. NARCHROEX

Paris was a war zone.

Skulduggery followed Vex as they walked under the arches of the Eiffel Tower, the man waved to someone high above and an arm appeared, waving back.

"Snippy Vanadium," Vex said to Skulduggery, "best sniper in the world. He's an adept who can channel his magic into objects. Can bloody turn a regular point-forty-five calibre pistol into a mortar." He grinned. "I once saw him turn his cell phone into a small atomic grenade," he shook his head at the memory, "good times."

Skulduggery didn't share his enthusiasm – it wasn't that he didn't find the story particularly good, but his thoughts had meandered to more pleasant times. For a fleeting moment Valkyrie and the armour of Lord Vile didn't weigh heavy on his mind.

He was in Haggard on a warm summer's day and Ireland had been experience severe heatwaves; Valkyrie must have been only fourteen. He was picking her up for a case, some idiot had blown up a heard of sheep somewhere – the exact details were forgotten, but he remembered it required a _lot _of walking around, looking for clues in the numerous paddocks that littered the countryside.

Valkyrie had got sunburnt, her pale Irish skin fairing unwell against the sunlight. Then heat stroke.

Skulduggery at the time hadn't been sure of what was wrong with her until she vomited up her breakfast.

It was sort of a blessing in disguise because it had found them their first clue. But it ultimately led to an argument over who would fish it from the bile.

An argument that Valkyrie won by fainting.

Skulduggery knew it wasn't the world's most heart warming memory, but it was for him. Remembering how Valkyrie used to try and keep up with him amused him. It sometimes made him feel a little bad; he often forgot that she was just a child in those days.

He never had that problem with her now. If anything she seemed impervious to the elements. Well, of course she was, seeing as she could turn into them at will. But she didn't rely on him. She didn't need him to protect her from anything, except herself and the darkness within.

Skulduggery feared that perhaps, it was the one thing he could never save her from. He worried that she would remain in limbo for the rest of her years.

Worried that his love for her would somehow be their undoing.

And then all at once he was back on the battlefield, looking up at Snippy perched amidst the crossing arches of the Eiffel Tower.

Vex was looking at him curiously. "You finished reminiscing?"

Skulduggery shook his head. "It would seem so."

"Wanna share it?" He asked with a grin.

"Yes. It was all about me, being amazing. As usual, " he started forward again, Vex at his side. "And I saved you on several accounts."

"My hero."

"You're quite welcome."

They came to a large, greying tent in the centre of Trocadéro Square, soldiers milled about, coming, going, standing still and talking. They seemed tired and disheveled. Skulduggery could smell the fear and desperation in the very air, could taste it on his imaginary tongue. Even Vex seemed to hesitate as they approached the French Grand Elder.

He was a tall, mean and wiry man, with a mocha complexion and dark hair. His eyes were a hazel colour. He wasn't old, perhaps somewhere around Erskine Ravel's age. The French Grand Mage was called, Skulduggery fought to remember, Ghastly had mentioned it enough times to him, but it was just one of those names that didn't stick…Thibit? Itbalt? Something strange.

Vex reached forward with his hand extended. "Grand Mage, Itus Thibault!"

Ah, _Thibault_. Of course.

Itus Thibault looked at the hand, took it briefly and clearly out of forced politeness. He didn't seem happy to see them at all.

"I believe I requested the Darquesse," he said coldly, bitterly, eyeing them suspiciously between his eyelashes. "Why does she not come?"

"She is still learning to control her strength," Skulduggery explained, trying to mask the contempt from his own voice. "It was Grand Mage Ravel's wise choice to have me take her place."

"And what can _you _do, _Monsieur_ Pleasant? Besides stand in science classrooms?"

Vex blinked for Skulduggery's sake, slightly taken aback at the sudden insult.

"Ah, the old skeleton mannequin jokes. Classic," Skulduggery replied lightly with a dark chuckle. "And I, for one, can appreciate the classics. But tell me, _Itus_, since I think we're on first names terms after that delightful little joke, what did you plan on using Darquesse for?"

The Grand Mage scoffed. "Wipe the enemy out, of course."

"Well, not to brag, but I'm sure I will be just as efficient."

"You? _You_ will not even last against the American's newest weapon, Skulduggery Pleasant," Thibault snapped. "You will be killed in five minutes. I guarantee it."

"If it makes any difference I can vouch for Skulduggery," said Vex frowning. "Sure his power just falls short of his girlfriend's but he'll get the borders back, no problems." He caught the glare Skulduggery sent his way, and winked back at him, charmingly.

Thibault snarled, taking a step forward. "You might be strong, Pleasant, but you are _not_ Darquesse!"

"_Darquesse cannot fight_," Skulduggery snapped back, his voiced deepened thunderously. "So leave her out of this."

Thibault didn't back down and squared himself up against the detective, almost eyes to eye sockets. "Do you want to know what the Americans have? Eh? Want to know what's coming?" The Irish men didn't answer and waited for the French to continue.

"The Americans, well, they have _Narchroex._"

Vex snorted. "That's a stupid name. He doesn't sound scary at all."

Thibault stared him down with his hazel eyes. "Well, you are a fool, then, because that stupid name is his _true_ name. And at any minute he could appear and wipe us out," his gaze turned to Skulduggery, "with or without the armour of Vile."

* * *

**D: Valkyrie! SKULLY NEEDS YOU!**

**Hehe, I like how true names are plays on actual words. Darquess = Darkness, Argeddion = Armageddon. So _Narchroex_ is Nacreous.**

**Pronounced Naar-crow-ehz**

**Bit of trivia, I guess? :D**

**...Fighting the urge to kill Skulduggery...**

**But then I doubt anyone would like _the _ending I would have for that...haha...gotta stay true to the Valduggery! ;D There has to be a happy ending...or...?**

**See you all next chapter!**

* * *

I always say this...but for reals...my proofreading is appalling! -_-


	13. STATIC

_"It's raining."_

Skulduggery read the text once, and then twice, and then several more times after that.

_"That's unusual for Ireland."_

He cocked his head at his own message and pressed send. He made to leave his phone in his make-shift cot, all old blankets and canvas stretched across two poles – why he was given one he didn't know – his phone vibrated softly.

_"You're a goon."_

_"But a very handsome one."_

_"Sure. How's France? And the French G.M?"_

_"It's not raining here. And he's more highly strung than usual – like a gerbil, adorable if he wasn't, you know, French. Has Ghastly spoken to you?"_

_ "No. Why?"_

_ "Well, when he does, don't freak out, Valkyrie."_ Skulduggery paused but shook his head and let the message transmit on the air waves, before answering an incoming call.

"There, ah…seems to be a giant black cat texting on the roof of the Sanctuary, Skulduggery," came Ghastly's voice. "Should I be worried?"

"No. It's Valkyrie."

"Oh."

Skulduggery could hear the small childish voice of Clarabelle saying, _I told you! _in the background

"Yes, yes. Thankyou Clarabelle, I was just looking for clarification. You can go and call the Cleavers off for me if you like," the elder tutted and was silent a moment, rain could be heard, falling gently. "I heard. Skulduggery if I had known about Narchroex-"

"I doubt I would still let Valkyrie fight," Skulduggery said solemnly, studying the sleeve of his suit for lint.

"Yes, but hypothetically speaking: what if Narchroex kills you?"

"That's _awfully_ hypothetical."

"What happens then?"

"We are," he said slowly, "basing this theory on the very unlikely scenario that I _die_. I'm offended, Ghastly."

"Well there needs to be a Plan B."

"We only think of Plan Bs if we have no faith in Plan As."

"I have _faith_!" Ghastly said, waited a moment for Skulduggery's response. When he didn't get one he sighed. "Fine. I have my doubts."

"You think I'll fail?"

"Skulduggery you might be able to control Vile's armour but you're not…you're not what Valkyrie _is_."

"I know, Ghastly," Skulduggery replied, he scratched the bone of his forehead idly. For no particular reason. Just to have something for his free hand to do. "Not to overuse the phrase _a rock in a hard place_, but I think that's where we're at. If Valkyrie fights, she won't stop. Maybe in a few decades she could do it. Maybe."

"And if you die," continued Ghastly, "she will destroy everything anyway. She's very attached to you like that. _Very_, attached."

Skulduggery cleared his throat loudly. He could almost hear Ghastly's half-smirk all the way back in Ireland. "Mm, yes. Quite. She's a good kid."

There was silence on Ghastly's end; he seemed to be distracted by something else.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"I don't know. Valkyrie's looking up at something."

"A bird?"

"No. No it looks like…"

Skulduggery pulled the phone to a safe distance as a roar of static filled his speakers. It lasted but a second. Then the line went dead with a beep.

* * *

**Hmm...I understand I've kept the story at Skul's POV but would you guys like to know about Valkyrie and hows she feeling/ whats happening, stuff? Because I know she's a bit if an enigma at the moment haha. But believe me, it won't last long! Just throwing some thoughts out there!**

**And seriously guys, I canNOT believe how much yous are loving this story! I really hope you all keep liking what's going to come. I started this story as a break from my other ones but its become so popular that I've been working more on it, haha. Really hope I don't disappoint!**

**The good news is that the flooding is all gone! Not much rain as of late, just a few showers here and there! :D Was able to go outside and play with my dogs - they were mad happy to be let out of the house haha. They've never been allowed inside, ever, now its gunna be hard to get them _outside_ xD I had Bastion, my shepherd cross in my bed for aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages. **

**And now he sleeps in it whenever he feels like it.**

**With his head ON MY PILLOW**

**8/ what have i done?**

**:D Next chapter coming!**


	14. SENSITIVE

He was seeing red and white colours in his vision; his breathing seemed to almost reverberate in his own skull, his strides were fast and far apart, to the point where even Vex was having trouble keeping up with him.

The adventuring man was trying to say something – Skulduggery could faintly hear his voice over the rush of his fake breathing, but didn't take any heed to his pleads or reasoning. Nothing mattered, except finding out why he couldn't get hold of anyone in Ireland. And Valkyrie.

If anything happened to her…

The Central Tent was surrounded heavily with soldiers, most were mages but some were mortals who specialised in working the radar equipment. While sigils worked in most cases it required people to go out beyond the border to put them up, and in the last few months it had killed more people than being on the frontline. Radar and other mortal detecting tools were proving more effective and safer.

Skulduggery stood for a moment facing the backs of several rows of soldiers clamouring to hear the details about their homeland. He didn't feel any compassion for them; saw them only as an obstacle, an annoyance. He pressed sharply against the air. Rows of men fell to either side of him and he marched down the newly created corridor of groans and indignant curses. One particular soldier cursed loudly at him and Skulduggery paused a beat to stare at him.

The soldier, a young man, gaped wildly, recognising the skeleton face cast in darkness by the shade of his hat. "Apologies, Detective!" He said, quickly, scuttling backwards.

Skulduggery ignored him and stormed into the tent, challenging the guarding Cleavers to stop him with a death threatening stare. They didn't attack him and he passed through without a fight.

Itus Thibault was leaning over the back of a man working the monitors, his tan complexion was white, his green eyes seemed puffy and Skulduggery grabbed his shoulder forcefully turning him around.

"_What happened?_"

"The Irish Sanctuary," Thibault swallowed, his Adam's apple quivered beneath his narrow chin, "we've lost communications. Everything, all of it. Even our backup corps are…are unresponsive."

Skulduggery stared at the Grand Mage's sweating face for a moment, and then punched him. He wasn't one for pointless violence. He had punched because he felt like it.

Thibault dealt with the blow better than Skulduggery expected and gathered his balance beneath him relatively fast. "I do not think I deserved that."

He felt Vex pull him away from Thibault and decided to stand still, his arms crossed; his left hand grabbed onto his upper right arm as if holding it back.

"So what could've done it?" Vex asked, hoping the answer would slate Skulduggery's anger.

"Nothing. We don't know!" The man exasperated, wiping a dribble of blood from the corner of his cut lip. "But I suspect…"

Skulduggery felt Vex's grip tighten.

"I suspect the American weapon by-passed us and went straight to the source. To Darquesse. It is the worst case scenario."

"How can we be sure?" Vex pressed.

Thibault wiped his brow with the back of his robe's sleeve. "I have sent for a sensitive. She'll be here in five minutes."

* * *

**Gosh...**

**no seriously guys - I'm flabber-gustling-wobbling-jumpin!**

**56 REVIEWS!? WHAT!?**

**WHY ARE YOU ALL SO FREAKING AWESOME!?**

**:D Nope, nope - you all get another chapter for all this!**

**And GOOD NEWS! My world here is back to normal, school is back on and the term is almost out haha...which means -_- assignments that we have to catch up on, so I haven't been active around Fanfic for a bit. But i got a whole weekend to read and comment on mah favs ;D Gunna be awesome. **


	15. VILE

Nothing felt right. The time seemed to stand still, and the day was too perfect, birds were still chattering to each other as he walked through Trocadéro Square towards a small building where the public amenities were. He could vaguely feel Vex lingering somewhere near him, concerned, just watching.

Sparrows fled from his shoes as he entered the bathroom where steam filled the air, a French sensitive seated cross-legged on the cold, tiled floor. She was a young looking thing. Tan, blonde, her eyes were closed but Skulduggery guessed they were a brown of some hue.

Brown eyes…his was suddenly filled with the memory of Valkyrie but he pushed it down and sealed behind his impatience and boiling frustration.

Slowly the room filled with various important figures, some curious soldiers and the French Elders. Skulduggery wasn't familiar with the two Elders that straddled the side of Thibault. They were new. The previous ones had died a bloody and awful death. Tragic.

Without warning the sensitive spoke:

"I am…beginning to see things," she said and the room fell into a muggy hush. "There is…much chaos. Destruction everywhere."

The visions began to project themselves onto the fog and Skulduggery found himself staring at the brown, scorched ground of what remained of the Irish Sanctuary. The round roof had crumpled inwards; the murky lake was filled with debris. Suddenly the air erupted into laughter and a human figure illuminated in a rapidly changing coloured light.

"It is…_Narchroex._"

He turned on his heels silently and left.

Outside the sun was still shinning.

The colours had returned in his vision and it didn't matter how many times he breathed in he wouldn't calm – although he drew some sort of phantom breath it did nothing for his body.

It was _his_ fault.

He flung open the flaps to his tent and pulled the black suitcase out from the covers of his cot. He didn't feel the hesitation he normally felt, didn't feel the spark of doubt or guilt or fear. The armour was his. His intentions were pure. The darkness that marred his soul from years before had long since perished.

Valkyrie had been the cause for that.

And she needed his help now.

Skulduggery snapped the locks open as Vex charged in, his eyes wide.

"Skulduggery, I _know_ you're worried about Val, but this isn't the way. You're needed _here_." He strode across the room and slammed the lid of the case shut and glared back at the skeleton. "This isn't a good idea and you know it."

"Vex," Skulduggery growled. Then he sighed, "I'm usually right about these things."

Vex frowned. "I beg to differ! You and all those half-cooked plans of yours." He kept his hands firm on the suitcase.

Skulduggery studied him for a moment and then threw a low right hook into Vex's side. The man's arms came down with a snap and blocked the attack as Skulduggery pulled his fist back, forcing the momentum into a kick. It landed square in Vex's chest with a hallow thump and sent him stumbling backwards into the wall of the tent – the canvass caught him and sprung him upright again, straight into a jab.

Vex had only time to duck his head as Skulduggery followed it with an upper-cut. His jaw shuddered as his lower and upper teeth ground painfully together. The world spun once, twice, and then he forced it from his sight and lunged at Skulduggery. The skeleton tried to side step him but there was no space in the small tent and so dropped to his knees, sweeping Vex's feet out from underneath him.

The man fell straight on top of Skulduggery.

Skulduggery hadn't really expected that as Vex came crashing down on him, taking advantage of the situation and wrapping his arms around him and holding tight.

The two wrestled around on the ground, until Vex stopped, having pinned the detective on his front.

"This isn't exactly how I thought this would go," Skulduggery mumbled, his face pressed into the floor.

Vex sat on his bony friend's back, arms twisted out behind him. He laughed, "Yes, well, you're out of your league, Skul. All that Sanctuary Detective work has made your soft."

Skulduggery sighed. "No. I mean _this_," he flexed his right hand so that Vex could see.

A black gauntlet moved silently on his hand, devouring his arm and crawled across his crumpled suit. Vex stared wide-eyed and released Skulduggery, getting to his feet and moving away as Lord Vile picked himself up off the floor, dusting himself.

"Skulduggery?"

Vile looked up at him, cocked his head and disappeared into darkness.

* * *

**D8 I JUST READ "COLOURS" by tazai101 at s/9053716/1/Colours**

**I. SUGGEST. YOU. READ IT!**

**READ IT NOW!**

**MACWEASEL OUT!**


	16. HAGGARD

Lord Vile landed on the Haggard Cliff and sniffed the air. There was dust and devastation; he could smell the death from here. He could see the Edgley house from here, it still stood and untouched by the chaos he could feel around him. A wall of shadows formed and he stepped inside and into the kitchen. It was clean, tidy – the odd mug sat on the bench, coffee stained at the bottom. He peered into them as he passed.

Fresh. The Edgley's were home or at least, they had been ten minutes ago. The milk on top had yet to form a skin.

Vile pressed on and entered the lounge room where he stopped slowly as Melissa and Desmond Edgley looked up at him with silent eyes. They widened and it was Desmond who rose to his feet, pale with rage. He had a metal baseball bat in hand which came around from his side, aimed straight for Vile's head. The man was shouting our ferociously and the bat hit the armour with a dull clank but did nothing. If anything it jarred Desmond's hands and the man let go of the bat with a yelp.

Vile watched as he clumsily dived for it and then raised his arms, taking off his helmet slowly – slipped his fingers quickly into the rim of the armour's neck and tapped his colour bones to conjure a face around his skull. When the helmet came off fully he at least looked reasonably human.

Skulduggery flicked the bat away from Desmond's reach with a strand of shadow and offered him a hand. "I'm not here to hurt you, Desmond Edgley. I'm here to help."

Desmond sputtered, his face paled even further. "Wh-who…no, _what_ are _you_?!"

Skulduggery placed the helmet under the crook of his arm and wiggled his outstretched fingers invitingly; he even managed a smile from the pits of his dark soul. "I am a friend of Gordon's. The _what_ is perhaps a little more than you can handle right now."

Desmond eyed the hand distrustfully but took it, feeling the coldness of the armour bite his skin like dry ice. He pulled it from out of the grip the moment he was on his feet and massaged his hand back to life, glaring. "Do you know what's happened?"

"I know parts. I was hoping you would fill me in. What happened?"

Desmond sighed, and his legs buckled. Skulduggery stepped forward to help him but was warned off by his dark eyes – eyes very much like Valkyrie's. "There was, I don't know, an earthquake. Everything shook. Then the town," he nodded towards the direction. "I don't know. It's gone. Decimated. I looked for people but…it's was too much. I'm sorry."

Skulduggery felt his phantom-heart plummet beyond the reach of his gut where it still there and hit the floor. The destruction had happened, had started. "Don't be sorry," he said, but there was no strength in his voice. He was thinking hard. "I'm going to ask you to come to a safer place."

Desmond shook his head. "No…no I, I think we'll wait here."

Skulduggery sighed. "Even if I insist?"

He nodded. "Stephanie is out there…if she's," he swallowed and tears sprung to his eyes. "She'll come here. I know. She's a good girl."

Something about the way Desmond stood before him gave him a grief that he had forgotten years ago. It was the grief of losing a family, the horror which surrounded the thought of losing a child, the agonising pain that came when you're told the person you built you're life and heart around has died.

But what made the pain worse, what made it almost unbearable was when it happened a part inside wants so much to see them. Wants to be with them.

And at that second those feelings came back to Skulduggery with a vengeance, and suddenly, he was Lord Vile again, reaching his hand towards Desmond's throbbing throat. Ready to kill him out of the sheer pain of loss he felt inside.

* * *

**MacWeasel is insaaaaaanely behind her school assignments due to aforementioned flood...and partially due to being a sport/gym addict and being a complete and utter procrastinator.**

**MacWeasel is hoping that everyone had a much better Easter because MacWeasel can't stand the taste or texture of chocolate and is thus the only one who actually doesn't have to make up for high exposure of sugar and calories with sudden urges to exercise like other people MacWeasel can mention. But regardless, Easter is awesome because its school holidays and that is awesome. So therefore hopes Easter was just as awesome for you and it was for MacWeasel. Who did nothing.**

**It was wonderful.**

**MacWeasel suggests for everyone to totally chillax after writing a review!**

**Peace! :D**


	17. LIGHT

It wasn't, at first, easy to see how it was standing over her, except that it was shouting at her, grabbing her by the wrists and hauling her up right, into a seated position. It banged her back and Valkyrie felt herself cough and heave, dust erupting in clouds from her mouth as it escaped her lungs. There was the taste of blood at the back of her throat and every cough brought the brick filled phlegm up her raw, torn oesophagus.

Valkyrie couldn't feel the pain, she had learned long ago how to squash it out, ignore it, forget that she was human. She pushed at the air and the brick-dust of the destroyed Sanctuary lowed away and sweet clean air took its place.

"Darquesse?" The voice was distant. A whole world away.

Her eyes watered and she wiped them in vain.

She coughed. "Wh-at hap-pened?" She asked huskily.

It was Erskine Ravel's voice she heard, dry and sandy like hers. "I'm not sure…"

Valkyrie blinked and Ravel's devilish features came into view. He was leaning over her, concern written all over his face. There was a ghastly split in his head that ran the length of skull and finished just above his left eyebrow. The side of his face and hair was cacked in dried blood. Valkyrie could tell he had concussion and she allowed him to help her to her feet.

"That looks pretty bad," she commented.

Ravel stumbled slightly but shook it off. "Nothing compared to that," he pointed to her shoulder.

Valkyrie flinched as she stared at the shrapnel sticking from her flesh – a pole. Where it had come from she didn't know. With a grimace Valkyrie grabbed it and wrenched it out with a smooth motion. She threw it to the ground as the wound began to knit back together.

"Useful," Ravel muttered.

"Yeah."

"Ah…so…the great _Darquesse_…wakens."

Ravel tripped as he spun around, the concussion almost driving him off his feet if Valkyrie hadn't been there to catch him and hold him against her, glowering into the falling dust as a white figure approached them.

She shielded her eyes against the shards of rainbow-streaked white light that pierced sporadically from segments of his body, like a kaleidoscope rotating beneath the sun. Through the shards Valkyrie could make out a man's face, silver in colour, like a mirror. He was smiling brightly.

Handsomely. And she could see herself in his eyes, bouncing back a million times on the strange multifaceted surface of his oculi. Valkyrie pulled backwards as the lights dimmed and the figure became more like a man. He stepped lightly over the debris, his bare feet never slipping.

"I've heard much about you, Darquesse," he said pleasantly as he came to a stop in front if the two, "You're the physical embodiment of all that is black and dark."

She frowned up at him as Ravel sagged into her, his eyes closed gradually. She hefted him higher onto her shoulder. "I don't know who you are, but you better get out of here," she growled. His grin stretched. "I think you know who I am, or, in any case, _what_ I am."

Valkyrie took a shaky step backwards, dragging Ravel's limp body with her. She bared her teeth.

"Ah, see. You feel it too."

"_I don't_."

"That infallible attraction that occurs between those who embody the dark, and those," he reached out a pale hand and brushed her sweat streaked face tenderly, "who embody the _light_." Valkyrie turned her face away from his fingers.

"My true name, is _Narchroex. I am the light._"

He grinned, and Valkyrie could see the light move like fire inside him.

* * *

**:D YES I AM BACK! Things will be updating regularly again, so...a-yup. A little thing called "LIFE" got in the way. Sigh.**

**But I digress.**

**Everyone can thank Ginger Blackmore for being obsessively awesome! ;D**

**On a complete and utter tangent, my soccer team (the Magpies YEAH) has currently not lost a game this season! WAY_HEY! And yes, whatever is said about Australians and their obsession for sport (especially contact sport) is all true - at least in my town. In fact, I don't know a single person NOT in a sport...huh...**

**Back to the topic at hand...**

**So, yah, Narchroex and Darquess huh? ;D Light and Dark? To be, or not to be? Match made in heaven? Do polarities repel or attract? I KNOW NOT!**

**...Well, I do.**

**The answers will be revealed if a review is writ!**


	18. FEAR

His phone vibrated; three short buzzes that he could feel from the back pocket of his suit pants somewhere inside his armour. It broke him from his misery, set a pulse to his heart.

There was a signal now.

Desmond stumbled backwards from him, having been caught in his dark aura like a deer at the headlights, but unaware of how close he was to death as the armour clad man did a spin around himself, completing the twist with a cell phone procured in his hand.

Skulduggery looked at the screen, couldn't recognise the number, flicked it open and slammed it to his false ear.

There was the catch of her breath on the opposite end, and Skulduggery knew it was Valkyrie.

He felt himself sag to his knees in relief, and stared at the pale ceiling of the Edgley home.

"We have a serious problem."

Skulduggery chuckled weakly. "So…you're okay?"

There was a beat of hesitation. "Alive, Skulduggery, but really not okay."

"Alive will do for now. Where are you?"

"Roarhaven. What's left of it."

"Did you see what happened?"

"Skulduggery, I'm _talking_ to the man who _did_ it. He wants to speak with you."

He couldn't shake the fear from her voice. Fear. True fear. Like when she was a child as she would reach for his hand and ask if they were going to make it out alive and he would have to put on a brave face and say something witty, say something funny. Make her laugh before she could cry.

That feeling came back to him and he wanted to hold her hand.

"Valkyrie," he frowned, "Are you okay?"

"No. It's…it's Ravel. He's dying in my arms."

Skulduggery was about to respond when he heard the rattle of the phone exchanging hands and a smooth American voice spoke his name slowly.

"Ah, the famous skeleton detective. We haven't had the honours of meeting face to face just yet. How do you do?"

"Come to Haggard and I'll tell you myself," he growled.

The man laughed, harsh and tinny through the speakers. "I think not – not _yet,_ anyways."

"What do you want?"

"Your armour, Skulduggery Pleasant. The armour of a certain Lord Vile."

"No."

From his place on the floor in the house of Edgley with Valkyrie's parents staring frightened and wide-eyed at him, Skulduggery to hear the popping sounds of Narchoex's smile widening.

"Well then, Pleasant, _enlighten_ me, how much do you know about true names?"

* * *

**Short I know, but needed another chapter break for drama! KEEP READING! -**


	19. NAMES

Skulduggery stood sharply. "Enough," he answered bitterly.

The man in Roarhaven chuckled. "Clearly _not_ enough."

"The less you toy with me, the quicker I'll make your death, so _explain yourself_," he spat.

"Temper, temper," the man tutted. "But let me _illuminate_ you, Mister Pleasant.

You know that sorcerers are only powerful when they come into realisation with their True Names – Pleasant, it has to be true. True to their nature, that is. True to their kind of being. True to themselves. It's not so much as knowing some external truth, like the sky is blue and we all die eventually, but understanding what it is your magical aura is created from.

Now, here's where it gets interesting, sir. What is magic made from?"

Skulduggery ground his teeth. "No-one knows. That research has been conducted for millennia with no results. Its source is untraceable."

Narchroex laughed. "Well, funny little thing that, because it _can_ be traced and a source _does_ exist. When you realise your name, you have realised your source, and you draw your magic from that. But see, the _source_ is different for everyone. Everyone has a different True Name.

Take Darquesse, for example. What is she?"

Skulduggery didn't answer and Narchroex pressed him joyfully.

"What is she, Mister Pleasant?"

"Darkness," he replied icily.

"Very observant. Darkness. Anything pertaining to the shadows, black, death, evil, darkness is what beautiful Darquesse can draw upon to feed her magic. She is _that_ essence. _That_ is her true nature.

Now for the little thing you didn't know. These sources have opposites. It is how the magical world remains in balance, by creating an opposing force to counterbalance anything that gets out of hand. For the dark, there is light."

"And I'm guessing you're source is from the light."

"That's right, it is."

"In that case, you and Darquesse would cancel each other out."

"Also true. Excepting one small thing…"

"Which would be?"

"Well, see, these sources have opposites but in no way were they created to be _equal."_

Skulduggery felt the emptiness inside him freeze and flow from his jaw in a cold breath.

"So, Mister Pleasant, which is the stronger, dark or light? Which would triumph?"

He could feel his throat catch in his breath, his thoughts race. _Valkyrie, run._

"Haha, Darquesse is powerless near me. Our magic cancels each other out but…"

His bones turned to ice as the scream of Valkyrie pierced his façade and echoed in his skull.

"…light always _overpowers_ the dark."

There was nothing but silence.

Skulduggery could only hear his heavy breathing echo back around through his own speakers.

"_I will kill you_," he said breathlessly, not a note above a whisper.

"I daresay you will try," said Narchroex brightly. "And bring the armour when you do." The phone went dead.

Skulduggery hung his head and heaved a rattling breath and dissipated into the darkest cloud of black.

* * *

**So my mum's friend is over and her girl (about 5ish?) is playing with my little bro and sis - she's trying to get them to play a love story with their plush toys, but my little siblings are laughing at how lame it is.**

**Because I raised them to be totally into COOL stuff, like fighting and exploring and adventures and epicness.**

**Cuz LUUUUUUUUUUURV is GROSS.**

**Well...you know...when your 5 love should be gross. I remember it being gross when I was that age. Kids nowadays are kissing each other at 5 (kid you not!) and I'm thinking, 'GOD, if one of my friends back then tried to kiss me it would have ended in a little kiddie fist punch session'.**

**FO`SHIZ**

**But Australian education is so lax now you can do whatever the hell you want at whatever age you feel like it.**

**Is this what freedom does to us!? IS THIS THE COST! D8**

**wow, okay - brainspew over. hope you can wipe the opinion off your faces ;D haha. Next chapter coming soon!**


	20. ROARHAVEN

How could he describe the darkness? What was happening when it bled through him? Elemental magic was his chosen specialty, but…

But there was something about this blackness, something about the cold, so freezing it numbed all the pain from his empty heart. There was something about it. It was different from the magic that came from Elemental powers. Elemental was whimsical, flowing, alive. The darkness was certain, still, dead.

Vile stepped out of the shadows that swept and flow against his armour and stumbled to the ground, catching himself at a kneel. He groaned and his helmet flowed away from his head to rejoin his chest-plate, and Skulduggery coughed.

He had shadow-walked from Haggard to, what he hoped was Roarhaven – a feat that he was pretty sure had never been undertaken by any smart person, particularly himself. The teleportation should have been instantaneous but the amount of power that it consumed was more than he had and Skulduggery had found himself wandering in the black lag between the there and somewhere else. When at last the opposite end opened up for him he had stumbled out, drained, exhausted, regretting the idiotic decision because if Narchroex was still around there would be no, no possible way for him to fight him – and that would have been a dumb way of dying.

Wearily Skulduggery stood up and shook his body like a dog, the armour condensing to just shoulder epaulets; his suit was a mess of crinkles and gradually grew discoloured at the dusty remains of Roarhaven settled on it.

"VALKYRIE?"

The sun was somewhere on the horizon, lowering slowly, casting an eerily glow of gold and browns through the atmosphere. Skulduggery stumbled over a large slab of debris, a brick wall, the side of a pub that he had hardly noticed over the years but still, as he climbed it he could recall a time when he had been inside, fighting with a child who had yet to pick a taken name and as coordinated at a fish out of water.

Skulduggery reached the top of the slanted wall and looked across the ruins of Roarhaven and the remains of the Sanctuary, sitting like a broken creature at the side of the dark, foul smelling and nameless lake.

A hundred metres away was a phone booth. Broken, tilted sickly, but still standing. He looked down. Below him the sun couldn't touch, leaving a three metre whole of darkness. Skulduggery sat on the edge of the wall, twisted and lowered himself down carefully, letting go and dropping the rest of the way.

He navigated his way towards the phone booth. It was slow, arduous going, and made worse by the exhaustion from his ridiculously draining walk.

"VALKYRIE!?"

Skulduggery paused his steps to listen to the eerie silence. He waited a moment and just as he made to step forward a faint voice called his name.

"Skulduggery…"

Skulduggery stumbled faster towards the phone, out his hands out, feeling for the strains in the space around him and took to the air. He flew several metres and landed crookedly.

"Where are you?"

"Here…"

Skulduggery ran forward and slid down a slope of rubble where Ravel Erskine lay, half emerged in debris, his handsome face swollen – a hideous gash in the side of his face, so deep that he could spy the fleshy white of his skull. He grabbed him up under his arms and pulled him out, resting him across the flat of his chest.

"Where's Valkyrie?"

"Skulduggery…"

"Yes?"

"I think I'm dying."

"You're fine, Ravel, really. A bit of a graze on your head, nothing a bandaid can't cover."

"No, Skul, like seriously…"

Skulduggery tilted his head but his voice softened. "Well what's wrong?"

Stiffly, Ravel lifted his robe, pulling the fabric off his pale chest – his stomach was swollen and blue.

Skulduggery stared for a moment and then turned his gaze to his friend. "It doesn't look too bad."

Ravel chuckled. "Everything inside is pulp."

"We'll get a doctor."

"They're all dead…"

"A hospital then."

"I don't wanna die in a white room…"

Skulduggery growled. "Ravel!"

The mage's eyes were closing with a sad smile on his face. "Just focus on Val…"

Anger pulsated through him as he lifted Ravel bridal style into his arms, his armour flowing back around ground beneath them disappeared and they fell into the darkness.

* * *

**Haha, so I was hoping I'd hit 100 reviews on 19 chapters, but you peeps all held out on me! You clever fiends, its like you all collectively knew and plotted against me, DAMMIT! And you would have gotten 2 chapters if y'all had, but, eh, I guess one will do now BD heh heh heh.**

**Oh god, but I really wanna put the next chapters up becux it's so touching D':**

**But we all have to wait now. Yup. Maybe tomorrow? Hmm...**

**OKAY! SO I HAVE OFFICIALLY GONE AND SEEN THE NEW FRONT COVER OF THE NEW SP BOOK!**

**And Dayum...**

**Just. Damn.**

**It's like Derek WANTS Skulduggery and Valkyrie to be together for GODDAMN FOREVER.**

**WHAT IS UP WITH THAT!?**

**All the feels guys :D I love ya all!**

**DANCE!**


	21. DOCTOR

Skulduggery came out of his meditation to the ground shaking and the plaster of the roof raining down on him in a shower of dust that settled onto the caking muck of his ruined suit. He tilted his hat and looked up the corridor as a white coated doctor walked purposefully towards him and Skulduggery stood to receive him.

"I don't have the world's best news," he started sternly before the man could get his hopes up and they shook hands briefly. "He's still in ICU with massive bodily and head trauma. If he survives the night it'll be a miracle, but he seems young and fit, so only time can tell."

Skulduggery bowed his head. "That's all I can ask."

The doctor nodded, relieved that this wasn't another one of those blubbering people that screamed at him to 'do something' when he was already trying to do what he could. He studied the tall, bone thin man again. Noting the odd opacity of his facial skin, the tacky way the light shone off it, like a dull or worn plastic. His eyes narrowed as the ground shook again.

"You said you were a detective?"

"That's right."

"Any idea what's happening out there? People are saying it's the end of the world, but…"

"But?"

"I don't think so."

Skulduggery tilted his head. "Optimistic are we?"

The doctor shrugged. "I'm a surgeon, optimism is a luxury. I just figured you may have pieced something together, Detective."

"I don't think I know any more than what you may already know."

The surgeon frowned. "It's been a strange and scary day; strange and scary things have happened; and you are the most strange and scary person I have ever met."

"I'm flattered. But it's a strange and scary world out there, Doctor."

The man smiled thinly as they took hands again. "A moving skeleton would be a first for me."

Skulduggery hesitated mid-shake and made a face. "Ah."

"I'm sorry," the man gushed nervously, "I shouldn't be so nosey, I just saw your articulatio radiocarpea between your glove and sleeve…"

"That's…precise. And you're handling the reveal very well."

"I know. And I suppose that's amazingly good plastic surgery of some sort? Some kind of animated plasticine?"

"Well, sort of, yes."

"Do you have a skull under it?"

"Don't we all?"

The doctor laughed. "Good point! His face fell back to a serious gloom. "So tell me, Detective, outside; should I be scared?"

Skulduggery picked his hat from the waiting chair and placed it crooked on the crown of his head. "I don't know. There's a super powerful bad man out there, tearing everything apart, and a super powerful woman whose can't control herself…"

He paled. "Powerful as in…Superman strong?"

"Times a hundred, take away the weaknesses, and you'd be getting close."

He paled more. "Oh."

"Hmm, yes."

"I'm guessing you're the skeleton who saves us all?"

Skulduggery doffed the tip of his hat and raised his eyebrows. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"I'll do everything for your friend."

He smiled wearily. "Thank-you," he nodded and turned on his heels, leaving the doctor to watch him as he walked the white corridor with loud resonating clacks of his heels.

* * *

**xD Hahaha, I don't know whether I should be flattered by my mass amount of threats I get for another chapter (for this story and others) or horrified! But here's to Anonymous Miki and NightcatMau for reviewing so promptly and making this story reach **

**ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS!**

**Oh and what the hell - have another chapter after this ;D I really wanna reach a certain part soon anyways! ENJOY! **


	22. 12

It was midnight, or some hour on the closer side of dawn when Valkyrie came around and shook herself from her dreams. It had been about Skulduggery, about a snowing Swedish day trudging the Alps and despite the cold, tempers had been running hot. Insults were flying, snowballs were flying, fists were flying, inadvertently causing one of the biggest avalanches to come crashing down a mountainside and sweep them up, burying them some twenty feet under snow.

Valkyrie had woken up at the part where Skulduggery had escaped the snow without her, leaving her to rage and rampage under the ice under her energy was spent and his bony hand suddenly parted the snow and reached for her.

She had taken it, and woken up in complete and utter darkness. There was a rock under her back which she manoeuvred carefully off and laid there; staring at the black above her until her eyes kicked in and everything came into focus like daylight. With the loudest groan she could muster, Valkyrie sat up nursing her chest.

There was pain there. A feeling she wasn't accustomed to anymore. An ache that screamed at her to stop moving.

She ignored it, and with a hiss pulled off her jacket, struggling her arms from out of the sleeves, then unbuttoned her tunic.

There, in the centre of her body, just under the arch of her ribcage, was a fist sized glow of pearlescent white light, an inch or so of shadows circling it, trying to push it back.

Valkyrie sighed and tenderly touched it.

A flash of pain racked her body and she bit her tongue in surprise, drawing blood into her mouth and it quickly healed.

"Oh damn," she muttered bitterly, tenderly re-buttoning her top, "that's not good."

She leaned back onto her arms and stared at the ceiling, trying to locate some kind of familiarity. She had panicked and shadow-walked, how far she couldn't tell, or where, she was yet to know.

One thing that crossed her mind was that she was pretty sure she was going to be killed.

That kind of kill where she _stayed_ dead.

She knew this because her survival instincts had kicked in – had forced her to run away. She _never_ ran. Even when she had a hand around her heart and had the life squeezed from her she stayed, regenerated, and fought. She was invincible. Why had she the need to run?

And yet here she was, hiding, terrified, in pain.

Weakened.

Like she was twelve again.

* * *

**Anyone else having this problem in the "Copy and Paste" section of the Doc Manger where there story is imported as completed _italicised?_ xD Can be quite bothersome!**

**:D Welp, 3 Chapters in one day (or night, depending on your global location!). I hope now that some of you out there will store your weapons away for a little longer!**

**Off to soccer training now, see ya'll!**

**If you happened to have feels slash smiled slash cried slash laugh slash blinked then REVIEW AND TELL ME ABOUT IT!**

**STRIKE A POSE YA SASSY FINGS**


	23. MEMORIES

Valkyrie got to her feet slowly, testing her ability to balance on the two fragile stilts beneath her. They were shaking and she laughed at herself; a single, sharp laugh. She hadn't felt this vulnerable in years. It felt amazing.

With a shoulder against a wall she walked the dark corridor. The ground shook suddenly beneath her feet and she stumbled backwards, flew her hands out to the tiles as if to magically grab something and fell onto her behind.

She heard the crack of her mobile as it hit the floor.

Startled she got back to her feet, a little too fast that her chest fluctuated in pains that she had to swallow and suppress as she took the device out of her back pocket.

It fell apart in her hands. Into layers of a screen, bezel and battery pack. She stared at it and studied the pieces. The screen was gone, cracked into flecks of white and scratched beyond recognition.

Valkyrie shrugged, leaned against the wall and sunk back to the floor, piecing it together as best as her shaking hands could manage.

The battery pack went in and nothing happened.

Sighing irritably, Valkyrie pulled it apart again and restarted, pressing small wires back into each other, looking for anything out of place. A few times she studied the darkness, but she felt relatively safe.

The darkness was hers after all.

She pressed the on button and the light of the phone blinded her, making her eyeballs water. She wiped the tears away, laughing again.

"I am having such _bad_ luck today," she tutted as the screen asked for her password. She typed it in. The touch screen worked well enough for it to accept the digits and opened to her home screen.

Without hesitation she hit the speed dial for Skulduggery and waited with baited breath for the call to go through.

_"This call could not be connected, please check you have credit for you carrier, reception, or that the number is correct…"_

Valkyrie fumed, hissed loudly as she scampered to her feet and raised her phone to the roof in search of a signal and dialled again.

The same voice responded.

She groaned and pocketed her phone. There had to be a way out of here.

The further up the corridor she travelled the more she remembered. The double doors she passed looked so familiar that she was given the impression that Skulduggery and her had passed through them, scarred, broken, injured. Had dragged themselves from one room to the next in search of an elusive doctor who would only shout at them for being idiots when they managed to find him.

The amount of times Skulduggery had sprinted along these corridors with her in his arms, mangled, and him calling for Kenspeckle at the top of his lungs gave her chills she couldn't shake.

Valkyrie could almost see the doctor turn towards her in his swivel chair as she entered his old office. He looked up and frowned.

"What're you doing here?"

Valkyrie remembered those times with a fondness and pulled her phone out – no connection. She opened the text menu and typed a message as best as her screen would allow.

_"At th- Hib-r-ian."_

Some letters weren't responding, but Skulduggery wasn't stupid. She was about to hit send when it occurred to her that Narchroex could have captured the skeleton and may have been in current possession of his phone.

And the thought of the man made of light appearing suddenly scared the living daylights out of her.

_"Wh-r- h- –ix-d –y t-th."_

She pressed send. It would deliver the moment she had a signal. Lowering her phone she stared at the imaginary image of her old doctor fondly and went back to the door, her phone vibrating to tell her it had found a signal and had sent the message.

In less than a second she heard a ring.

She pulled her phone out.

_"Stay. On my way."_

Valkyrie heaved a sigh.

"Always ignoring me," the ghostly memory grunted, turning in its chair to return to its papers. "Guess nothing changes all that much."

Valkyrie frowned.

Stared at it a little harder.

Then screamed.

* * *

**:D**

**So what's this week's diagnosis? How about...dogs?**

**Does YOUR dog think its batman answering the bat-signal when YOU open the front door/front gate/front ANYTHING!? **

**Does it think it has SECONDS to answer Gotham's cry of help, and powers up the street like it's wearing a utility belt and therefore invincible?**

**Does it make YOU FEEL like EVERY girlfriend batman has ever had as you cry out its name desperately because deep down inside you're afraid its the last time you will EVER see it?**

**If you've answered yes to three above then your dog has Bruce Wayne Disease.**

**Almost 80% of Australian dogs have this disease, and for you Americans/Europeans out there it'd be like, the same, I reckon.**

**While it's easy to diagnose there is currently no cure. You are advised to do the following:**

**Keep your doors locked. **

**Keep your dog on a thick-ass leash.**

**Trade it in for a slug, or snail, or a frog, or some other slow moving amphibian or mollusk.**

**And pray for a cure.**

**:D**

**What is up with Chihuahuas?**

**haha, hope you all enjoyed! Next chapter up soon! ;D**


	24. HIBERNIAN

Whatever Skulduggery had felt initially when he realised he had fallen in love with Valkyrie after so long had completely and utterly vanished as he hot-wired the greenest car he happened across and pulled it recklessly out into the middle of the road. There was no-one on the streets, no one trying to escape. After all, where was there to run when the chaos was happening all around them?

Skulduggery had the misfortune to imagine families huddling together, terrified for their lives, knowing full well it was the end. He clenched his teeth and shook it from his mind.

That guilt he had felt, that hatred he held against himself; gone. He had been wrong, so wrong.

An idiot, a numbskull. A goon.

He had left her.

Those families sheltered in their collapsing homes still clung together in the hard and terrifying times. They didn't race off to become heroes, to fight, to win a war. They stayed. They stayed together and they would die together.

It was a grim notion, but there was something romantic about it.

Skulduggery drove the green car up onto the curb in front of the collapsed theatre and got out, disconnecting the wires and leaving the door open. He ran around to the where the front door used to be and began to pull back the rubble.

The twin doors swung open at his touch, and fell off, crashing to the ground with an eerie echo. He squeezed and weaved his way through the wreckage.

If he found Valkyrie he wasn't letting her go. Everything else could burn, so long as he had her.

Forget the skeleton ordeal, forget the Darquesse thing, he wanted her.

He had waited hundreds of years for someone like her.

Skulduggery stared at what was left of the silver screen, filled with the remains of the velvety ceiling above. It was a tight fit to climb over and squeeze through the collapsed ceiling and the beams above, but he managed it. It probably helped that he didn't have to worry about ruining his suit. The jacket and pants were all but hanging on by threads at this point.

He dropped nimbly into the corridor and summoned a flame to his hand.

The walls were desecrated; the tiles that hung there littered the corridor like glass. Slabs of roof had fallen in whole sections and there was a corridor that was caved in completely.

Skulduggery studied it and decided to leave it till last and walked on. Turning the end of the corridor he saw a blue light ahead, almost shouted in joy and ran to it. It was old Kenspeckle's office. He lunged through the double doors just as Valkyrie had reached a hand out to open them from the other side.

He gaped for a moment at the suddenness of seeing her.

She gaped just as widely at him, a cup of steaming tea in one hand which he ignored as he took her up in his arms, making her drop it onto the office carpet with a thunk, spilling its contents, filling the air with the smell of earl grey.

Skulduggery felt her arms wrap around his neck as he kissed her, running his hands possessively along the litheness of her back.

"Good god," he said breathlessly, burying his head into the crook of her neck, "Good god, I thought I'd lost you Valkyrie."

He felt her cool lips of the side of his skull and her arms tighten around him. "I thought I'd lost me too," she admitted wearily.

Skulduggery pulled back and her lips met his teeth, bringing the energy he felt around him to a boiling point, he stroked her face tenderly, clearing a line of clean skin under his thumb.

Valkyrie's black eyes looked up at him. "Ravel?"

"In ICU. Mortal Hospital. Don't worry too much about him, he'll pull through. I've seen the sod survive worse, so-" Valkyrie kissed him again.

There came a loud cough from his right and Skulduggery turned his head slightly to see the greyish form of an old, grumpy, annoyingly caring yet somewhat cynical doctor seated in his old swivel chair.

"So, ah…how long have I been dead for this," he flapped at the pair of them, "to develop?"

Valkyrie followed his gaze. "It's Kenspeckle," she informed the silent detective.

Skulduggery grunted. "Just a ghost-echo, Valkyrie. He used to sit in that spot a lot, probably left a conscious signature there feeding off your memories of him. If you ignore it it'll fade away."

"Fade away my left buttock!" Kenspeckle growled loudly, getting to his feet.

Skulduggery moved him and Valkryie away from the spectre. "Awfully chatty for an echo…"

"That's because I'm _not_ an _echo!"_

He grabbed Valkyrie closer to himself. "Could be a poltergeist."

Valkyrie chuckled and rested her head against the detective's collar bone. "I'm pretty sure it's Kenspeckle, Skulduggery."

Kenspeckle smiled and nodded at her. "Thankyou, my dear. Now," his face grew suddenly large and bulbous, "get _away_ from that bloody skeleton! Dear lord, Valkyrie, you could do a million times better than _him!"_

Skulduggery groaned and hung his head. "Damn. Of all people…"

* * *

**Did anyone else get the sneaking suspicion that Kenspeckle may have suspected Skulduggery of being Lord Vile?**

**Anyone?**

**Or is it just me reading too much into it?**

**;D Hope you all got feels from this chappie! If it did, REVIEW! ORYOUWON'TGETTHENEXTONE!**

**8D teehee**


	25. HAUNTING

Valkyrie had her arm intertwined around his and the bones of his fingers in a deathly tight grip as they followed the floating figure of the long deceased Kenspeckle Grouse through the ruined Hibernian. His ghostly coat was as tattered as it was in the last throws of his life, and his grey face seemed to have small cuts across it. Skulduggery glared at him, not fully accepting the fact that this grouchy man had managed to pull his soul from the Other World back into this one.

Of course Skulduggery was a hypocritical skeptic; because if he had done the exact thing for himself several hundred years back, so why not someone else?

Valkyrie must have felt his thoughts because she moved closer to him and his bones begun to hum from the energy she emitted.

Kenspeckle passed through a door and they opened it and followed him inside.

The room was glaringly bright in comparison to the dark corridors and almost throbbed with a strange presence as they came to the centre of the room where a large machine stood, dark and foreboding.

Skulduggery felt his armour grow cold and Valkyrie shudder at his side. "What is this?"

Kenspeckle looked around from where he stood at the end of his work bench and picked up a spanner.

Valkyrie blinked.

"This, _this,_ is my _greatest_ scientific breakthrough," he explained in controlled excitement. "It's a soul generator. Using the metal used in creating shadow-items, I have compounded the perfect anchor that allows a spectre, like myself, to have a physical presence so long as I'm near it."

Skulduggery cocked his head. "While you're in this room you're physical?"

Kenspeckle nodded. "That is what I just said, Pleasant."

"So you're totally punch-able right now?"

The doctor took several awkward steps back. "You wouldn't hit a dead man."

"I don't know," said Skulduggery cheerily. "I remember you risking a few swipes at me."

The ghost chuckled wearily. "All deeds forgiven when you're dead, right?" Skulduggery was about to make a retort when Kenspeckle exploded with: "Except you did all _you're_ nasty deeds _after_ you died, so you _haven't_ got any excuse!"

Valkyrie laughed as the skeleton backed down with a sigh – it was like old times.

"So you built a machine that makes you pick stuff up," she said. "How did you initially do that? If you came back as a ghost wouldn't that mean you wouldn't have been-"

"Clearly I made this before I died, dear."

"Oh."

"Just in case I wanted to come back, you know. Precautionary measure and whatnot. Always smart to be prepared for anything," he winked at them and motioned for them to follow him into another part of the room.

The machine he now showed them was white and silent, and Kenspeckle walked around it tightening bolts with his spanner, talking to it like he would a favourite pet.

"And this?" asked Skulduggery, resting a hand on the edge of the machine.

"The magic of science, Pleasant, _this_ is my _greatest_ breakthrough to date!"

Valkyrie frowned. "I thought the soul-generator was?"

"This is posthumous, Valkyrie. My greatest breakthrough _posthumously._ However," he saddened and patted the machine, "She's not finished. I order parts for her weeks ago but they haven't arrived yet." He shook his head sadly. "Bloody Irish postal service. The lazy sods are always taking their sweet time."

Skulduggery took Valkyrie around the machine and studied it carefully. "The parts weren't from France, were they?" He asked, touching the machine that vibrated at his touch - he pulled back his hand quickly.

Kenspeckle looked over at them, his brows raised. "Why yes, they were! How did you know?"

"It's all up in war at the moment," he explained dully. "Not much left of Western France and not much left of Ireland."

The doctor's eyes widened and his mouth dropped. "B-but…what…you don't_…how_!?" he struggled his words out.

"A man knows his real name," Valkyrie explained, "His name is Narchroex. He's working with the American Sanctuary to overtake the European."

Kenspeckle Grouse leaned wearily against his machine, overwhelmed. "I suppose it's all over then? Unless there's someone strong enough to go against that kind of power…but...no, it would be a miracle if there were. And scientists don't believe in that kind of nonsense." He tapped the white metal. "Load of junk this thing turned out to be."

Skulduggery shook his head. "All's not lost."

"Ah," said Kenspeckle darkly, "you have a secret weapon? Skulduggery, I know your methods are, unorthodox, to say the least. But let's hear it."

He watched as the two detectives gave their partner a look and turned back to face him.

"I know my true name," Valkyrie admitted and motioned to the detective, "and Skulduggery has Lord Vile's armour."

The doctor glowered, then shook his head and turned back to his machine. "Of course you'd have something up your devilish sleeve, Pleasant."

Skulduggery laughed, but it faded as the old man turned back at them with a frown – his grey eyes flickered to Valkyrie.

"Dear, you know you could have _any_ man in the world. Why _this_ one? He's all, if you'd excuse me Pleasant."

"By all means."

"He's all _bony…and_ so, _so_ much _older_ than you, Valkyrie dear. And I just don't think he's the right type."

Skulduggery felt her hand tighten around his fingers and smiled inside.

"I know all that, but…" she frowned and bit her lip. "I don't care. It doesn't matter why, or how, or when, or even what the hell he, or _this_ is, I love him."

His head turned so fast to her that there was a loud crack that echoed in the room. Valkyrie was looking at her feet and her pale face was scarlet.

"Don't read too much into that," she murmured.

Skulduggery was about to say something when Grouse sighed exceptionally loud.

"Ugh…Valkryie, I could never be mad at you or your choices and I will always support you, dear." He shot Skulduggery a withering glare. _"You,_ Pleasant, irritate the bejeezus out of me. Even though I'm dead. But you better do a better job at looking after her now than when she was twelve."

"I will," Skulduggery replied solemnly.

The mean doctor nodded. "Good. Now go. And if you're alive after all that war stuff, come back to see me Pleasant."

Skulduggery hesitated. "And why would I want to do that?"

"So I can slap you red when I give you your body back."

There was a long silence.

The detective's soft voice broke the silence, uncertain. "Body?"

"That's what I said," Kenspeckle snapped,"are you deaf? This machine regenerates body parts, _whole_ and _functioning,_ body parts from a single strand of your magical DNA. Do you think I want to be a grey transparent ghost forever? Of course not! I'm a genius! I'll beat death yet! So when this is over, Pleasant, consider taking up a new line of work and I'll give you a body. But," he added testily and pointed to Valkyrie, "I'm offering only for her sake, for all I care you can be a walking corpse till the end of time."

"I-" Skulduggery started but was cut short.

"You can have the spare room for the rest of the night, Valkyrie. But for now, leave me, I have a lot to do," Kenspeckle turned on his heel and walked into the next room as grouchy as he had ever been. Death did not seem to hinder his infamous temper.

* * *

**Long chapter for y'all! :D**

**:3 OMG skull and val are so cute together...**

**They need a moment together soon, me thinks ;D**

**:C ah...my soccer finals-season game got cancelled. THE RAIN WONT STOP! XD**

**MARCH TO THE BEAT OF THE TANGO!**


	26. STAY

Valkyrie eased herself stiffly onto the medical bed as Skulduggery watched her tensely.

"You're not well."

"No joke, Holmes," she hissed and lay backwards onto the mountain of pillows the skeleton had packed behind her. She sighed as her back relaxed into the fluffiness and almost fell asleep if it weren't for two large, hollowed eyes gazing down at her. "It's nothing," she assured him.

"Nothing I can fix, you mean?"

Valkyrie winced. "Yeah."

"Will you show me?"

She swallowed and relented with a nod. "Can you take my jacket off?"

Tilting his head ever so slightly to one side, he urged her to sit upwards and sat in the space behind her and pulled the jacket carefully off her arms. He folded it neatly and placed it on the bedside table.

Valkyrie undid the buttons of her tunic and passed it behind her where she felt him fold it, place it aside, and swivelled tenderly around to face him. She heard his sharp and breathless tut.

Skulduggery studied the glowing light and looked up at Valkyrie's blank face, then back down at the…wound? It was like a scar. A wound that scarred darkness bled light, didn't it? Skulduggery didn't know.

"Does it hurt?"

She nodded. "I thought it was going to kill me."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Valkyrie's brows knitted at him innocently and his heart melted. He pulled her over to him and she rested her face into his chest. "Have you told Kenspeckle yet?"

He felt her shake her head and he sighed heavily.

"I hate telling him you're injured. He shouts at me a lot."

"Oh boo-bloody-hoo," Valkyrie murmured, a soft laugh on her lips.

He stroked her hair and studied the opposite wall. "You're not angry at me, are you?"

Valkyrie shrugged. "I'm a little freaked out by the fact there's someone out there who can _kill_ me, more than I am over the fact you up and left me to be a hero in a war that's not yours."

Skulduggery sagged. "Ah."

He could feel Valkyrie prodding at the remains of his suit, pulling out stray threads and making a pile where they sat. He was about to playfully snap at her but decided against it. Gently, he levied her off him and stood up.

Valkyrie eyes gazed up at him with those charcoal black eyes, the edges soft, her brows furrowed slightly. Skulduggery put a finger to her forehead and pushed her backwards into the pillows, making her laugh.

He chuckled. "Stay."

And went to find the ghostly doctor.

* * *

**Going to the movies to watch The Great Gatsby! :D Hope its awesome!**

**More Skul&Val to come ;D**

**You guys get ALL THE LURVS! :D!**


	27. INVINCIBLE

Valkyrie had since long fallen asleep, the centre of her chest glowing faintly like a pearl in soft light, dark edges like torn paper seethed and writhed at it, trying to close it up and heal her. Skulduggery lay on his side beside her and ran his fingers down her arm, watching the slight pressure marks fade as he traced her name into her skin.

It worried him. Everything was worrying him. Kenspeckle had looked grim when inspecting Valkyrie's strange wound: it hadn't been anything he had yet come across. He had taken some blood and then left.

Skulduggery couldn't begin to guess the time, except that it may have been late morning, or something close. Underground in a collapsed research facility wasn't the greatest place to pinpoint any time concept.

He had finished the 'e' to Valkyrie and was about to start again when he glanced at her face and was startled to find her staring at him with those large, intriguing black eyes. She raised a hand tenderly to her face and rubbed the sleep from the inner corner of her eye, studying him closely.

"You look worried," she murmured, closing her eyes again and shuffling a little further into him. "What're you thinking about?"

Skulduggery began to write the letters to her name again. "All kinds of smart things, dear," he said softly, warranting a half opened eye directed at him and a snort.

"You've gotten really bad at lying."

Skulduggery cocked his head and leaned over her, forcing her to waken and look up at him quizzically. "Or maybe all those years training you to be a great detective is, _finally,_ paying off."

She cupped the side of his face lovingly and gave a half-smile – then frowned. "You know that's not it at all!" She pushed him off and Skulduggery retreated to his side again.

"What is it then?"

"Natural female intuition," Valkyrie explained matter-of-factly.

They shared a look, which Skulduggery broke bluntly.

"You said you love me."

In the dull light of the room Valkyrie's face suddenly exploded in a bloody burst of red and she seemed to find it hard to suck in air. Skulduggery watched this for a moment in amusement.

"I told you _not_ to read into it!"

"I'm not, I'm not," Skulduggery assured her quickly, grabbing her wrist and squeezing gently. "But, you know that thing you said about admitting your love and jinxes?"

Valkyrie frowned at him. "What? What're you…" her face fell. "Oh…oooooooh. So now _you_ think I'm going to die?"

Skulduggery gave a one shouldered shrug and Valkyrie rolled to her side so they were level, she winced at the pain in her chest but warned him off from commenting by a sharply projected glare.

"You know, you once took a seventeen year old werewolf hunting with more composure than you have now," she said, her eyes moving around as she summed him up. "And before that you set a thirteen year old on a criminal."

"Well, I don't think I've felt this amount of worry since those days. Sort of, getting used to it again. Readjusting."

"Why? What changed?"

Skulduggery cocked his head to one side before looking across the dark room. "You became Darquesse."

"Less vulnerable?" Valkyrie asked, leaning towards him.

He nodded.

"More capable?"

He shrugged.

Valkyrie chuckled.

"I feel like an idiot because not a few days ago I thought you not needing my strength anymore had changed our relationship in some way. It's a long, complicated self-imposed story, Valkyrie, but I wasn't sure how we fit together."

"On the scale of who has to protect who?"

"Ah…well…yes. Maybe."

He felt her shift and her panther-like body scrambled onto the barrel of his ribcage, she forced him to look at her.

"You, Skulduggery, are an idiot."

He tried to look away. "Only in this instance," he said grumpily.

Valkyrie held is jaw hostage. "A complete and utter goon."

"I've realise that now."

"A turnip in a pumpkin patch, the squarest wheel, the dullest knife in the kitchen."

Skulduggery stared.

"A moron, a million dollar home on a crumbling cliff, a bad investment, the dullest bulb on a chandelier. You, sir, are so strikingly stupid that you make tofu look intelligent. But hey," she tapped his forehead and smiled toothily, "I love you, Mister Pleasant."

Her face went red again and she kissed him.

Skulduggery felt the energy pass through him, the magic pulsate. Something about her and him matched. Matched perfectly.

"I was thinking about," he murmured as she pulled back, blinking. "I was thinking about having my body back."

Valkyrie stared at him. "Why?"

Skulduggery blanched. "Truly? You're asking a _dead_ man _why_ he wants to be _alive_ and breathing again?!"

Her face darkened and turned a stony seriousness. "Yes."

He hesitated. "You like me being a skeleton?"

Her eyes widened. "I do."

"Valkyrie…_I'm a skeleton_."

Valkyrie grabbed his wrist and lifted it to their line of sight and pulled the sleeve back to reveal his bony forearm. "Oh my god," she gasped theatrically, "you are too!"

Skulduggery pulled his arm out of her grip as she laughed.

"Do you prefer it over to having a body?" He asked.

Her laughter faded. "If you had a body, you would be mortal. Easier to kill, easier to die, easier to lose. A portion of my love for your stems from the fact that I can rely on you not _carking_ it. That you're _invincible._ That you can always bear the worst pains for me because you don't have flesh to destroy."

Skulduggery nodded and they lapsed into silence.

It lasted a while and Valkyrie hesitantly tapped him on the chin.

"Are you okay with that?"

"I don't know," he admitted good-naturedly. "It is a dilemma."

Valkyrie rested her face on his ruined suit. "It is indeed."

"But, even as bones, Valkyrie, I feel like I have flesh. This body comes with all the painful flaws of a living thing."

"So?"

Skulduggery snorted. "You are awfully selfish, you know that dear?"

He felt her shoulders shrug. "Well it comes with the gig of being the supposed World Destroyer. Selfishness, cruelty, sadism, insanity…"

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I know."

Skulduggery lapsed into another bout of silence and listened to her breath pull and withdraw from her lips. He focused on it for a moment and rested a hand on the small of her back.

"We should go," he said softly.

Her body stiffened in dread.

"We should."

* * *

**Firstly, thankyou to all those that review! :D Your persistence is so uplifting! SO THANKYOU! :D**

**Nextly, I hope y'all enjoyed this particular moment, because there isn't gunna be another BD heh heh heh...**

**Afterly, I might not update in a while because of an English assignment where I have to write a 2000 word story in the genre of speculation fiction! It's about time travel, the LHC, Cern, a man from the future dying from radiation poisoning and a lovely pseudo scientist! :D The requirements is that it has to be based on real theories and backed with factual evidence.**

**It's like I was MADE TO WRITE SPEC-FIC/SCI-FI**

**LOVE IT.**

**:D Time travel IS possible.**

**It's like thinking about tomorrow, or the day after that.**

**You can go there, you can GET there.**

**YOU'RE A TIME TRAVELER PEOPLE!**

**PEACE OUT!**


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